Developments over the last 150 years, which have, and will continue to challenge the profession of naval architecture
By G H Fuller CEng FRINA FIMarEST RCNC
To meet the future, the Naval Architect must be a polymath, meeting internationally acceptable standards of education and training. Tus a heuristic approach is essential, covering all elements of arrangement, form, structure, hull systems and propulsion. Globally, new Universities and Colleges will appear, challenging the older ones. However, the role of RINA as a professional institution will continue to be vital in covering standards, the formation and continuing development of Naval Architects and the dissemination of information. Te future for the profession of Naval Architecture and shipbuilding will be bright as the world will continue to need global trade for food, energy and raw materials and tourism.
1860 – 1900
Te Great Exhibition of 1851, led by the Prince Consort, endorsed the need for more professional engineers. Civil construction and the railways were exploiting iron and steam but except for some notable examples, the ships still relied on wood and sail. However, by the 1860’s, the expansion of Empire required a large merchant fleet protected, as the Flag followed Trade, by a new generation of warships. Greater speed and range required the application of hydrodynamics and thermodynamics, leading to better hull forms, propellers, and more efficient propulsion engines. Refrigeration enabled fresh food for long voyages to be no longer dependent on farm animals on deck and perishable cargoes to be transported. Tere was concern with losses at sea in two areas. It was realised
that the losses of ships and cargoes, costs which were met by marine insurance, were linked to poorly designed and maintained hulls and machinery. ‘Classification Societies’ were formed to underwrite the concept of the insurable risk. Secondly, the huge loss of life led to reformers bringing their concerns to Parliament. New laws were passed covering freeboard, overloading and lifesaving.
Education and Training
Te period was dominated by ‘practical men’, the product of industry- based apprentice schemes with higher training based on the ‘premium’ apprentice and night schools. Although science and mathematics
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were taught in UK Universities, engineering had to wait the end of the century. However, the growing sophistication of warships coupled with some major disasters, endorsed the need for properly trained Naval Architects. Tus schools of naval architecture were founded firstly at South Kensington and then at the Royal Naval College Greenwich. In 1873, these ‘new’ naval architects were grouped into the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors, a civil service group involved in the design, construction and support of Royal Navy (RN) ships. Dissemination of information was improved by the founding of professional Institutions – that for Naval Architects in 1860. In Europe, the professional engineer was the ‘ingenious’ person
although occasionally naval architects produced designs, which were more ingenious than practical. Te USA was also different, at West Point founded in 1802 and at Annapolis founded in 1845 all had to study engineering. Te best students from West Point joined the Corps of Engineers, still today responsible for major waterways. Ten came the great engineering schools such as MIT. Te US Navy (USN) design Bureaux and Shipyards were staffed by Officers with advanced Naval Architectural and engineering degrees trained at MIT, although some naval architects including Rear Admiral David Taylor USN were trained at RNC Greenwich.
1900 –1950
Te start of the period saw new challenges, including: • The growth of the North Atlantic passenger trade for the rich
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