 Newport News shipyard in Virginia, USA, have recently ordered 3 new 800 tonne compression load cells to replace some existing Strainstall load cells that have been in service for over 25 years. They will be used on their floating dry dock, a type of pontoon for dry docking ships with a "U" shaped cross-section and floodable buoyancy chambers. When valves are opened the chambers fill with water, submersing the dry dock and allowing a ship to be moved into position inside. When the water is pumped out of the chambers, the dry dock rises and the deck is cleared of water. The ship is then transferred to land, enabling work to proceed on its hull.
The manoeuvring of the ship can cause large stresses on the hull, so the load cells are used to measure the loads it is being subjected to, in order to prevent any damage occurring. |
