The integration of human factors, operability and personnel
movement simulation into the preliminary design of ships
utilising the Design Building Block approach
This thesis presents the feasibility, advantages and impact on Preliminary Ship
Design of an approach to integrate ship configurational design with the modelling
and simulation of a range of crewing issues, such as operations and evacuation.
Integrating personnel movement simulation into preliminary ship design introduces
the assessment of onboard operations at the front-end of the design process,
informing the design and enabling improved operability while the design is still
amenable to changes. The approach to accomplish this integration is discussed with
the aim of informing all parties involved in the design of ships with regard to the
main aspects of personnel operability and on board safety.
The research was undertaken as part of a three years research project funded by the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) entitled “Guidance
on the Design of Ships for Enhanced Escape and Operation”. The project aimed at
bringing together the University of Greenwich developed “maritimeEXODUS”
personnel movement simulation software and the SURFCON implementation in the
PARAMARINE suite of the Design Building Block approach to Preliminary Ship
Design, which originated with the UCL Ship Design Research team.
The approach and procedural implications of integrating personnel movement
simulation into the preliminary ship design process are presented through a series of
SURFCON ship design case studies. With the UK Ministry of Defence as the
industrial partner to the project, this study on “design for operation” concentrates on
naval vessels, which provide excellent examples of complex environments. Design
studies, based on the Royal Navy Type 22 Batch III Frigate design, were analysed
using PARAMARINE, maritimeEXODUS and bespoke interface software
produced by the candidate. Technical aspects of the development of the interface
software are discussed from a procedural perspective, focusing on integration and
usability issues. The discussion addresses alternative options to visualising the
simulation results and how to integrate into a ship design model a minimum level of
detail sufficient to conduct simulations able to inform the designer, while retaining
the flexibility the design requires in early stages design.
The thesis concludes by summarising the opportunities that integrating operational
simulation into preliminary ship design opens up for the future practice of ship
design, contributing to the debate on the nature of ship design and of Computer
Aided Preliminary Ship Design
