Safety Investigation of Noah's Ark in a Seaway

The safety of Noah's Ark in the severe environments imposed by waves and winds during the Genesis Flood has been a topic of debate. In this study, the safety of the Ark was investigated by evaluating three major safety parameters: structural safety, overturning stability, and seakeeping quality.

The Size and Structure of Noah's Ark

According to the Bible, the Ark had a length of 300 cubits, a breadth of 50 cubits, and a height of 30 cubits. To determine the actual size of the Ark, a cubit was defined as the distance between a man's elbow and fingertip. Based on this, the Ark was approximately 135 meters long, 22.5 meters wide, and 13.5 meters high.

The shape and form of the Ark's hull are not explicitly described in the Bible. However, explorers who claimed to have discovered the remains of the Ark on Mount Ararat suggested that it had a barge-type hull form. The shape provided by the Korea Association of Creation Research was used for this investigation.

Seakeeping Performance

Seakeeping performance refers to how well a ship behaves in a seaway, which is mainly determined by wave height, wave direction, and ship speed. Since the Ark was a drifting ship with very low speed, its seakeeping performance was evaluated based on heave, pitch, roll, vertical acceleration at the bow, deckwetting frequency at the bow, slamming frequency at a specific location, vertical acceleration at the bridge, and lateral acceleration at the bridge.

Analytical tools were used to predict ship motions and wave loads in regular and irregular waves. Model tests were also conducted using scaled models to validate the theoretical analysis.

Structural Safety

Structural safety is related to the ability of a ship's hull to withstand wave loads without sustaining damage. The internal structure of the Ark is not known, so estimations were made based on modern shipbuilding technology. The frame structure of thick beams and plate structure made of thick boards were assumed.

The structural analysis of the Ark was carried out using the ANSYS program, which indicated that the Ark had safe structural performance. The required wood volume for each hull form was compared to determine the structural safety index. This index showed that the Ark had high structural safety.

Overturning Stability

Overturning stability refers to a ship's ability to resist capsizing due to heeling moments caused by winds and waves. The restoring moment that keeps a ship upright is generated by the action of buoyancy. The magnitude of this restoring moment is determined by the restoring arm, which depends on the ship's geometry and heel angle.

The limiting heel angle, which is the angle at which flooding occurs into the vessel, was calculated for different hull forms. The area under the restoring arm curve up to the limiting heel angle was used to determine the overturning stability index. The results showed that all hull forms, including the Ark, had sufficient overturning stability compared to classification rules.

Voyage Limit of the Ark

The voyage limit of a ship is determined by its ability to navigate in certain sea conditions. The vertical accelerations at the bow and roll response were used to estimate the voyage limit of the Ark. Based on passenger ship criteria for vertical acceleration and limiting heeling angle, it was estimated that the Ark could have navigated through waves higher than 30 meters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the investigation into the safety of Noah's Ark revealed that it had a reasonable beam-draft ratio for the safety of its hull, crew, and cargo in high winds and waves. The Ark exhibited superior safety compared to other hull forms studied.

These findings provide support for the biblical account of Noah's Ark and its ability to withstand the severe conditions of the Genesis Flood. Understanding the safety and practicality of the Ark encourages deeper engagement with the creationist perspective and highlights the importance of considering scientific and biblical evidence together.

Why This Matters: Investigating the safety of Noah's Ark provides insights into the feasibility of the biblical account and supports the view that it was a seaworthy vessel capable of surviving the Genesis Flood. Understanding the scientific aspects of the Ark enhances our understanding of God's providence in preserving life during this catastrophic event.

Think About It: The research on Noah's Ark opens up discussions about the reliability of biblical accounts and their compatibility with scientific findings. It challenges us to consider how God's intervention and natural processes can intersect in extraordinary events.