Deadweight Contest 2021
Subject of the contest
The Deadweight Contest is a contest where students compete to design and manufacture a ship in order to withstand maximum dead weight from recycled materials respecting certain design restrictions. Design constraints for the 2021 edition are listed in the following table:
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parameter
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restriction
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Maximum length L (cm)
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≤ 30.00
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L/B length to beam ratio
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≥ 3.00
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Midship coefficient CM
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≤ 0.950
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Waterplane coefficient CWP
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≤ 0.850
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Block coefficient CB
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≤ 0.850
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Bow angle (°)
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≤ 60
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Light weight (g)
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≤ 150
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Material
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Tetrabrik
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Joints
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No restrictions
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Contest development
The contestants were able to present their designs until April 20th, 2021, after an extension of two weeks on the first official deadline that expired on April 6, 2021. Finally, four boats were presented: Icarus, Marlin, Muscle of the Seas and Obelix.
Since April 26th, the posters of the four contestant boats were exhibited in the Aula del Carmen. Such posters may continue to be visited until the end of the course.
The load test of the Deadweight Contest 2021 was held at 13:00 on May 4, 2021 in the function room of the Higher Technical School of Naval Engineers. The day unfolded asfollows:
· Explanation of the load test.
· Test load each of the vessels. Divided into the following phases:
o Presentation of the poster exhibited in the classroom of Carmen, emphasizing the design parameters.
o Presentation of the results of the measurements made by the Competition Committee to verify compliance with design restrictions.
o Put the boat afloat.
o Verification of initial stability.
o Performing the load test without assistance.
o Performing the load test with assistance (only in cases of lack of stability during unassistanceed loading).
· Deliberation by the Competition Committee.
· Announcement of the winning vessel.
On May 11, the trophy will be awarded to the winning vessel's team.
Description of the load test
First, the boat is afloated to be tested in a vat filled with fresh water. Secondly, it is verified that the vessel has initial stability.
The official load test is carried out by slowly depositing 1.7 mm diameter sphericallead pellets inside the boat, following an equitable load patternand/or instructions provided by its builders, and without any stability assistance by the Competition Committee.
Due to academic interest, in those vessels where the failure of stability occurs in the official loadtest, a second unofficial load test is repeated where the only difference is the assistance to the stability of the vessel by the Competition Committee.
Detailed load test results
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Boat (Alphabetical Order)
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Compliance with design restrictions
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Official load test (without stability assistance)
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Unofficial load test (with stability assistance)
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Icaro
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Does not comply with all design restrictions:
· Thread weight >150 g: measured value 157 g
· L/B<3.00: measured value 2.93
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· It has initial stability
· Dead weight on board: <100 g
· Cause of failure: loss of stability due to load run
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· Dead weight on board: 4528 g
· Cause of failure: loss of buoyancy
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Marlin
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Meets all design restrictions
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· It has initial stability
· Dead weight on board: 1439 g
· Cause of failure: loss of buoyancy
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-
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Muscle of the Seas
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Does not comply with all design restrictions:
· Materials not allowed: wood
· L/B<3.00: measured value 2.85
· Bow Angle >60o: Measured Value 150o
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· It has initial stability
· Dead weight on board: 567 g
· Cause of failure: loss of buoyancy
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-
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Obelix
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Meets all design restrictions
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· Lacks initial stability
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· Dead weight on board: 2794 g
· Cause of failure: structural collapse
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Final classification
Vessels that meet all design restrictions:
1. Marlin: 1439 g
2. Obelix:0 g
Boats disqualified for not complying with all design restrictions:
1. Muscle of the Seas: 567 g
2. Ícaro: < 100 g
Conclusions
All participants in the Deadweight Contest are congratulated for the designs presented and are invited to participate in future editions.
To a greater or lesser extent, the lead pellets rolled inside all vessels compromising the stability. Participants are encouraged to incorporate solutions in their future designs to prevent or mitigate this phenomenon.
Acknowledgements
The SNAME-WES UPM Student Section gives thanks the Faculty of Naval Architects an Marine Engineers of the UPM, the Marqués de Suanzes Foundation and the Dean Fernando Robledo De Miguel, for allowing him to celebrate the Deadweight Contest on the Faculty premises and sponsor the awards of this edition. The SNAME-WES UPM Student Section also thanks Professor José Andrés Somolinos Sánchez for lending the vat that was used during the load test.