Hardware-Based Simulator for Hydrodynamic Pitch and Roll Behavior of Marine Vehicles

This study presents the design of a hardware-based simulator to examine the impact of sea waves on ship navigation sensors. The objective is to create a cost-efficient, easily deployable, and effective simulator. The study considers the pitch and roll movements arising from the wave-heave relationship. A simulator comprising a single rotary actuator is built for this purpose. The mathematical model characterizing the ship-wave interaction is employed to obtain the motion profile. A sequence control with a real-time control parameter update algorithm is developed to track the motion profile. The simulator’s performance is validated through experimental studies. The simulator demonstrates a tracking error of less than 0.012 radians. The simulator may also utilize motion profiles established via various wave-ship models. The compact dimensions of the simulator facilitate on-site testing and analysis.