EXAMINING SOME DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR ARCTIC SURFACE EFFECT VEHICLES BY MEANS OF AIRBORNE LASER PROFILIMETRY

With the increasing interest in developing surface effect vehicles (SEV) for operations in the Arctic and over ocean pack ice, a body of statistical information relating to the surface roughness (micro-relief) of land and ice is needed to help determine vehicle design parameters. The percentage of each type of ice, the statistical distribution of ridge heights and the spatial frequency and orientation of ice ridges, all as a function of geographical location and time of year, are expected to be those surface morphology parameters most relevant to the design of SEV's suited for effective operations in Arctic areas. These morphology parameters are suggested for the evaluation of maximum vehicle skirt height and gap, for simulating skirt wear, for determining probable frequency and magnitude of vehicle oscillation as a function of speed, for analysing obstacle avoidance and manoeuvre requirements and for overall mission profile planning. Recent work by the authors shows that the output of an airborne laser profiler flown over Arctic Ocean pack ice can be analysed by computerized techniques and the above-suggested surface morphology parameters can be derived most economically from these laser data. In this paper, techniques for examining certain vehicle design parameters and evaluating potential route selection by means of laser-derived terrain parameters are discussed.

• Corporate Authors:

  Kalerghi Publications

  51 Welbeck Street
  London W1,   England 
• Authors:
  • LeSchack, L A
  • Long, J B
• Publication Date: 1972-9

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 18-23
• Serial:
  • Hovering Craft and Hydrofoil
  • Volume: 11
  • Issue Number: 12
  • Publisher: Kalerghi Publications

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air cushion vehicles; Lasers; Surface effect ships; Surveys; Wear
• Geographic Terms: Arctic Regions
• Old TRIS Terms: Arctic surveys
• Subject Areas: Marine Transportation; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00041812
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 19 1973 12:00AM