Fender Design Criteria:

Introduction:
The principal function of the fender system is to prevent the vessel or the dock from being damaged during
during the berthing periods. Forces during the vessel berthing or anchoring may be in the form of impact, a
vessels, or direct pressure. These forces may extensive damage to the ship and structure if suitable means
counteract them. The amount of energy absorbed and the maximum impact force imparted are the primary
accepted fender design practices.

Selection of fender system type:

A variety of factors affect the proper selection of a fender system. These include, but not limited to, local m
exposure of harbor basins, class and configuration of ships, speed and direction of approach of ships when
assistance, type of berthing structure, and even the skills of pilots or ship captains. It is considered impract
designs since port conditions are rarely identical. Previous local experience in the application of satisfactory
considered, particularly as it applies to cost-effectiveness characteristics. Here is a good guide for selecting
your needs. We follow the PIANC 2002 and other Standards set forth by other manufacturers with a long
fender industry.

General Design Procedure:

The design of a fender system is based on the law of conservation of energy. The amount of energy being i
must be determined, and then a means devised to absorb the energy within the force and stress limitations
fender, and the pier. General design procedures are as follows:

1. Determine the energy that will be delivered to the pier upon initial impact. It is recommended to conside
vessel capable or allowed to use your dock.

2. Determine the energy that can be absorbed by the pier or wharf (distribution of loading must be conside
are linearly elastic, the energy is one-half the maximum static load level times the amount of deflection. All
made in cases where other vessels may be moored at the pier. If the structure is exceptionally rigid, it can
energy.

3. Subtract the energy that the pier will absorb from the effective impact energy of the ship to determine th
must be absorbed by the fender.

Where

EB : Berthing energy (KJ, N*m, or LbF*ft)

WD : Water displacement of the berthing ship (Tons, Kg, Lbs). - This is the Total Displacement

vessel. If you do not have this information you may use our tables to view standard vessel's information by
click here to view our tables.

VB : Berthing velocity of the Ship at the movement of impact against the fender (m/sec, f

is an important parameter in fender system design. It depends on the size of the vessel, loading condition,
ease of difficulty of the approach. Therefore the berthing velocity is preferred to be obtained from actual me
existing statistical information. When the actual measured velocity is not available, the most widely used gu
berthing velovity is the Brolsma table, adopted by BSI, PIANC and other standards. To facilitate the calculat
tables, graphs or equations shown below.

Va: Easy Berthing, sheltered.

exposed.

Vb:

CM : Virtual mass factor - As a vessel makes contact with the berth and its movement is suddenly stop

mass of water moving with the vessel adds to the energy possessed by the vessel. This is called "Mass Fact
Coefficient" and the weight of the water is generally called "Additional Weight". The added mass coefficient
water carried along with the ship as it moves sideways through the water. As the vessel is berthing a body o
with the ship as it moves sideways through the water. As the ship is stopped by the fenders, the momentum
continues to push against the ship and this effectively increases its overall mass. CM is normally calculated
formula:

where,
D: Full Load Draft(m, ft
B: Molded Breadth(m, f

Another calculation method for the virtual mass factor is:

where,
D: Full Load Draft
L: Ship Length
: Sea Water Density(1.025 t/m3)

CE : Eccentricity factor - In the case when a vessel contacts a berth at a point near its bow or stern, th
a rotational movement, which will dissipate a part of the vessel's energy.

To determine the Eccentricity Coefficient, you must firstly calculate the radius of gyration(K), the distance fr
mass to point of impact(R), the velocity vector angle(

) and berthing angle(

) using the following formula

Where K: Radius of rotation of the vessel (usually 1/4 of the vessel's length)
R: Distance of the line paralleled to wharf measured from the vessel's center of gravity to the point
1/5 of vessel's length.
CB: Block Coefficient, which is related to the hull shape and is is calculated as follows: