Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory at University of Michigan

Facility Overview

The Aaron Friedman Marine Hydrodynamics Laboratory is a suite of labs and facilities that engage in classic naval architecture experiments, such as calm water resistance, seakeeping, and propeller tests. The MHL supports education and research for the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the University of Michigan. It is a highly flexible facility that hosts a variety of specialized testing programs for researchers at the University of Michigan, Industry, and Government Agencies. The staff provides technical guidance and support in experiment design, instrumentation used, and conducting the experimental tests. The MHL also conducts fundamental research in areas of current interest such as hull form drag reduction and planing hull and surface effect ship dynamics, renewable ocean energy harvests, advanced material marine propulsors, and control surfaces.

The MHL is home to a suite of facilities. The Towing Tank is equipped with a manned bridge carriage and unmanned trailer with speed capabilities of 0.08 to 6.70 m/s, an electrically driven, computerized wedge-type wavemaker that can generate regular waves and irregular waves. A Wind-Wave Tank has both wind driven and plunging wedge wave capabilities. A Wind-Wave Tank has both wind driven and plunging wedge wave capabilities.

Towing Tank characteristics:
Length: 109.7m, Width: 6.5m, Depth: 3.05m
Carriage speed: 0.08 to 6.7m/s
Wave Period: 0.5 to 2.0sec, Wave Length: 0.39 to 6.24m, Wave Height (Max): 0.46m
Max depth: 3.5m

Wind-Wave Tank characteristics:
Length: 35m, Width: 0.7m, Depth: 1.5m
Water Depth (Max): 0.68m, Wave Period: 0.25 to 2.0sec
Wind Speed: 2.0 to 30.0m/s