Catamarans - Technological Limits to Size and Appraisal of Structural Design Information and Procedures

Abstract : The uniqueness of the catamaran design lies in the cross-structure and the important facets of the cross-structure design are the prediction of the wave-induced loads and the method of structural analysis. The primary loads are the transverse vertical bending moments, axial force, shear, and torsion moments. Designers have relied heavily on model tests to obtain design loads and have used general structures principles and individual ingenuity to perform the structural analysis in the absence of established guidelines. Simple semi- empirical equations are proposed for predicting maximum primary loads. A structural analysis method such as the one proposed by Lankford may be employed for conceptual design purposes.