University of Southampton Research Repository ePrints Soton Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS School of Engineering Sciences Engineering Management of Early Stage Warship Design by Johannes Philipp Stratmann Thesis for the degree of Engineering Doctorate April 2006 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES Engineering Doctorate ENGINEERING MANAGEMENT OF EARLY STAGE WARSHIP DESIGN By Johannes Philipp Stratmann Warship Feasibility Studies are highly complex projects. The thesis attempts to highlight the relevant factors inherent within industry and academia and then derives a methodology for managing early stage warship design. The initial data were gathered at the VT shipyard by interviewing key personnel. The collected data are then analysed using the MS Visio flowchart package to create input/output diagrams for all existing areas of work. Identifying explicit and implicit links allows the existing areas of work to be linked and inherent areas to be identified. The resulting connection diagrams are then analysed and compared with existing literature. The analysis results in the creation of several loops depicting the data flow during the assessment phase. Two case studies are carried out to further refine the developed interface model. This model is further improved by carrying out in-depth investigations into previously neglected design factors. A series of algorithms are developed that can be used to determine balanced designs for corvettes and fast attack craft. These algorithms are used to identify factors and events that need extra attention during the design process. Different tools for managing the dataflow across the identified interfaces are researched and a set of control mechanisms is described in more detail. One mechanism, Margins, is further investigated using the developed algorithms in combination with knowledge obtained at VT to determine suitable margin ranges and applications. The results from the interface analysis and interface management studies are combined to derive a management methodology, consisting of a project schedule, a set of functional flowcharts and an accompanying guidance manual. This methodology is tested and validated on a design study. The results from the validation are used to determine any required changes to the methodology. The developed methodology is found to provide an effective tool for managers and designers during the early stages of warship design in a defence environment. i I. Contents I. CONTENTS........................................................................................................................ II II. TABLE OF FIGURES.................................................................................................. VI III. TABLE OF TABLES.................................................................................................... IX IV. DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP ...................................................................... XII V. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .........................................................................................XIII VI. NOMENCLATURE................................................................................................... XIV 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................1 1.2 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................1 1.3 PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................1 1.4 RESULTS ......................................................................................................................................2 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 3 2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................3 2.2 WHAT IS SMART?......................................................................................................................3 2.3 WHAT IS SYSTEMS ENGINEERING ? ..............................................................................................4 2.3.1 SE Methodologies...................................................................................................................6 2.3.2 SE within VT...........................................................................................................................7 2.4 WHAT ARE FEASIBILITY STUDIES ? ..............................................................................................7 2.5 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (USA ) ACQUISITION PRACTICES ..................................................... 8 2.6 SUMMARY ...................................................................................................................................8 3 RESEARCH STRATEGY ............................................................................................... 10 3.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 10 3.2 INITIAL MODEL ......................................................................................................................... 10 3.3 FINAL STRATEGY ...................................................................................................................... 11 3.3.1 Early Stage Design Phase Identification.............................................................................. 11 3.3.2 Interface Interaction............................................................................................................. 11 3.3.3 Interface Management.......................................................................................................... 12 3.3.4 Testing .................................................................................................................................. 12 4 INTERFACE INTERACTION ....................................................................................... 13 4.1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 13 4.2 EARLY STAGE DESIGN PHASE IDENTIFICATION ......................................................................... 13 4.3 INTERVIEWS .............................................................................................................................. 13 4.3.1 Interview Analysis ................................................................................................................ 14 4.3.2 Domain Connections............................................................................................................ 14 4.4 HIGH LEVEL INTERFACE CHART DEVELOPMENT ........................................................................ 15 4.5 INITIAL LOOPS ........................................................................................................................... 20 4.6 COMPARISON TO PUBLISHED VIEWS .......................................................................................... 22 4.7 DESIGN STUDIES ........................................................................................................................ 25 4.7.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 25 4.7.2 Fast Patrol Craft Study ........................................................................................................ 25 4.7.3 Future Surface Combatant Study ......................................................................................... 43 4.7.4 Combined effects on Initial Model........................................................................................ 50 4.8 FURTHER DOMAIN INVESTIGATIONS ......................................................................................... 50 4.8.1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................... 50 4.8.2 Production............................................................................................................................ 50 4.8.3 ILS ........................................................................................................................................ 51 4.8.4 Human Factors....................................................................................................................