Orca3D Advanced Stability
Model Compartments, Tanks, Loads, and Evaluate Intact and Damaged Stability Criteria
The Orca3D Advanced Stability Module extends Orca3D's hydrostatics capabilities with tools for compartmentation modeling, load case management, intact and damaged stability analysis, criteria evaluation, MaxVCG analysis, floodable lengths, curves of form, cross curves of stability, tank tables, tonnage calculations, and reporting. Working directly within Rhino, naval architects can evaluate vessel stability under realistic operating conditions without exporting geometry to a separate stability package.
Users can define watertight compartments and tanks, model fixed and fluid loads, account for free surface effects, and analyze vessel performance across a wide range of loading and damage scenarios. The module also supports regulatory and custom stability criteria, helping designers assess compliance while gaining deeper insight into vessel safety and performance.
By combining compartmentation, load case management, stability analysis, and reporting in a single Rhino-based workflow, the Orca3D Advanced Stability Module helps designers perform more realistic stability evaluations, streamline documentation, and make informed design decisions earlier in the development process.
Key Features
Compartmentation Modeling
The model can then be subdivided into tanks and compartments using simple planes such as transverse bulkheads, longitudinal bulkheads, and decks.
For more complex arrangements, Rhino geometry can also be subdivided using Rhino geometry.
Once compartments are created, their properties can be defined. This includes setting a compartment as a tank, choosing default contents, assigning permeability, or designating a space as non-watertight. This makes it possible to include superstructure and other spaces in wind heeling moment calculations or area and volume studies.
Load Cases
Load Cases define a specific vessel condition for analysis. Each load case can include any combination of:
- Fixed loads such as lightship, cargo, crew, and effects
- Fluid loads in tanks
- Tank status conditions such as intact, damaged, conditional, or frozen
- Free-Surface Effects
The Load Case editor also lets users override the default fluid contents or permeability of individual tanks and immediately solve for the equilibrium flotation condition. Users can also specify flotation directly by sinkage, trim, and heel, and Orca3D will compute the residual weight and center of gravity needed to achieve that condition.
Stability Criteria Evaluation
Orca3D can evaluate a vessel against selected stability criteria for any loading condition. The software includes predefined sets of criteria and also allows users to create or edit their own through the stability criteria definition form.
Reports can evaulate pass/fail status against user-selected criteria, including:
- Heeling moments
- Downflooding
- Margin line immersion
- Deck edge immersion
- Freeboard calculations
- Area under the righting arm curve and residual area ratio
- IMO rollback angle
Formatted reports can be printed directly or exported to PDF, Word, Excel, or CSV for further analysis.
Points and Curves of Interest
Points of Interest and Curves of Interest can be defined directly in Rhino and used during analysis for:
- Downflooding points or curves
- Margin lines
- Deck edge curves
For each flotation condition, Orca3D reports the height above the waterplane of all defined Points of Interest, making it easier to review critical conditions as the vessel heels, trims, or floods.
Heeling Moments
Heeling arms and moments can be defined for a wide range of operating conditions, including:
- Beam wind
- Beam wind with rolling
- Lifting weights over the side
- Passenger crowding
- Offset weights
- Towline pull
- High-speed turning
- Custom user-defined conditions
Wind heeling moments can be based on the projected area of the model, a Rhino curve, or user-entered area and centroid values.
Tank Tables and Area/Volume Reports
Tank Tables can be generated at a user-defined trim and heel and can report values such as:
- Percent full
- Volume
- Mass
- Sounding
- Ullage
An Area/Volume Report can also be generated including details such as:
- Total area
- Deck area
- Bulkhead area
- Volume
- Centroid
Benefits
Advanced Stability is designed for users who need to go beyond basic hydrostatics and evaluate the vessel more realistically under actual loading and operating conditions.
FAQs
What makes Advanced Stability different from basic hydrostatics and stability?
Advanced Stability adds a comlete product-model workflow with an Orca3D Design, components, compartmentation, tanks, fluid load cases, criteria evaluation, maximum VCG analysis, reports, and related tools that go beyond basic intact stability and basic hydrostatics.
Is Advanced Stability the right module for compartment and tank modeling?
Yes. This module includes dedicated workflows for compartments, tanks, a fluids library, sounding tubes, tank tables, and fluid load cases, so this is the right solution when internal subdivision and load-state modeling matter.
Can this module handle load cases and free-surface effects?
Yes. The Advanced Stability workflow includes fluid load cases, fixed loads, conditional flooding, bulk editing, and recent enhancements for mixing virtual and actual CG shift in a single load case for free-surface handling.
Does Advanced Stability support criteria-based evaluation?
Yes. This modules includes stability criteria evaluation and reporting.
Is this module only for large commercial vessels?
Not necessarily. It is best for any project where internal subdivision, tanks, damage-related conditions, or criteria-driven stability analysis are important.
What kinds of outputs does Advanced Stability provide?
The module includes reports, hydrostatics and stability analyses, criteria evaluation, maximum VCG analysis, curves of form, cross curves of stability, floodable lengths, area/volume reports, and tonnage calculations.
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Orca3D Advanced Stability Module
Stand-Alone vs. Network License
A stand-alone license is installed on one computer for use by a single person, while a network license can be installed on multiple computers within the same organization but allows only one user to access the software at a time.
About Student / Educational Licenses
Educational licenses are full versions for students and faculty in naval architecture or related fields (proof required). See full policy here.
Refund Policy
We want you to purchase with confidence. Orca3D offers a 30-day return policy for eligible purchases. If you need to request a refund, return, cancellation, or EU withdrawal, simply contact our team and we'll guide you through the process.
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