3D buoys: Properties report

The 3D buoy properties report is available from the popup menu on the data form. It reports the following:

Weight

The force due to gravity acting on the buoy's mass.

Buoyancy

The weight of water displaced by the buoy's volume, based on a nominal water density.

Submerged weight

Weight $-$ buoyancy.

Mass

The buoy's mass.

Displaced mass

The mass of water displaced by the buoy's volume, based on a nominal water density.

Submerged mass

Mass $-$ displaced mass.

Statics force accuracy

This is only reported if the buoy is included in statics.

The static analysis searches for an equilibrium position for the buoy – that is, a position for which the resultant out-of-balance load on the buoy is zero. Because computers have limited numerical precision the static analysis cannot always find a configuration where the out-of-balance load is exactly zero. OrcaFlex accepts a position as a static equilibrium position if the largest out-of-balance load component is less than the statics accuracy.

The statics force accuracy is $\textit{tol} \times |\vec{f}_\textrm{char}|$, where $\textit{tol}$ is the whole system statics tolerance and the characteristic force, $\vec{f}_\textrm{char}$ is calculated internally based on the forces applied by coupled objects.

Reducing the tolerance value will give a more accurate static equilibrium position, but will take more iterations. OrcaFlex may not be able to achieve the tolerance specified if it is too small, since the computer has finite numerical precision.