Analytical and Experimental Investigation of Asymmetric Floating Phenomena of Uniform Bodies

Abstract Uniform symmetric bodies can be observed floating asymmetrically under certain circumstances. Previous explanations of this are mostly abstract and lack experimental verification, making their understanding and application difficult. This article presents in detail alternative insights into the floating equilibria of uniform prisms and parabolic cylinders. The intrinsic characteristics of the equilibrium curves are investigated, and several equilibria different from those in the literature are found. The inflection points in the equilibrium curves are analyzed quantitatively due to their significance for floating states. Furthermore, experiments have been conducted for the square prism which validate the derived equilibrium curve, and provide a practical impression of the asymmetric floating phenomenon of symmetric bodies. These results have the potential to be applied in naval and ocean engineering, such as in the design of vessels and floating offshore structures.