Testing Methodology for Seat Suspension Units in High-Speed Planing Craft
conference paper
High-speed planing craft, such as rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), are frequently subjected to severe
hydrodynamic impacts during operation, particularly in rough sea conditions. These impacts pose significant risks to the comfort, health, and performance of the crew. Resilient seat suspension units (SSUs) are designed to mitigate these impacts, but their effectiveness is challenging to assess under real-world conditions due to the potential hazards to the crew and variability of sea trials. This paper outlines a methodology for replicating the effects of slamming events experienced by high-speed craft in a controlled environment. By using drop tests of a pontoon and characterising the dynamic environment with the Shock Response Spectrum (SRS), this study enables standardised testing of SSUs without the need for repeated live sea trials to evaluate and compare different seat designs.
hydrodynamic impacts during operation, particularly in rough sea conditions. These impacts pose significant risks to the comfort, health, and performance of the crew. Resilient seat suspension units (SSUs) are designed to mitigate these impacts, but their effectiveness is challenging to assess under real-world conditions due to the potential hazards to the crew and variability of sea trials. This paper outlines a methodology for replicating the effects of slamming events experienced by high-speed craft in a controlled environment. By using drop tests of a pontoon and characterising the dynamic environment with the Shock Response Spectrum (SRS), this study enables standardised testing of SSUs without the need for repeated live sea trials to evaluate and compare different seat designs.
Topics
TNO Identifier
1019949
Source title
International Conference on Fast Sea Technology (FAST), 29 October 2025, Norfolk, VA
Pages
1-8
Files
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