The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition

Rodrigo Perez (M) and Veronica Alonso1

1. SENER, Madrid/Spain

General Arrangement Drawing is a communication language that uses graphics to represent principally: volumes,
spaces, compartments, bulkheads, hull forms, decks and main equipments. The general arrangement of a vessel can
be defined as the allocation of volumes for all the crucial functions/operations, correctly synchronized for position
and access. The well-organized operation of a ship depends upon the proper arrangement of each individual
volume/space and the most efficient interrelationships among all compartments. It is vital that the general
arrangement of a ship be usefully, practically and cost-effectively developed with respect to key factors that influence
construction and operation cost, in particular the manpower required to operate the vessel.
It is essential for those who are involved in shipbuilding industry to understand new tools for this kind of vessel
drawing and know how to draw them, saving time for the rest of the process of ship design.
In this paper it is showed, for first time in a conference, a new module dedicated to definition and management the
compartment arrangement of a ship. Compartment arrangement of a vessel is based on the definition of its spaces.
Each space is represented by its 3D model. Spaces contain further information than the geometric one, been able to
set different user attributes to them or to their limits. 3D model of the spaces is generated taken as reference the
surfaces of the ship as well as auxiliary geometry. It is also possible the definition of spaces from 2D drawing in a
specific definition environment. Finally, this compartment arrangement is available for hydrostatic and stability
calculations.

KEY WORDS: Ship design, CAD System, General Early Design Stage
Arrangement. Traditionally, the compartments have been treated by CAD
systems as basic geometric data to make naval architecture
NOMENCLATURE calculations (volumes, hydrostatics, …) and evaluate loading
CAD Computer Aided Design and flooding conditions, adding generally just a few attributes
CS Classification Societies (permeability, filling percentage, cargo density, …).
GA General Arrangement Nowadays, to allow the seamless integration throughout the ship
FGA FORAN General Arrangement design cycle, other concepts must also be taken into account at
this stage, including:
INTRODUCTION • Tight correspondence between ship functions and
The ship general arrangement is one of the main tasks of the compartments
initial design. Designers must meet all functional and • Assessment of design by multiple criteria
operational requirements and, at the same time, comply with all • Space reservation and weight management
applicable regulations. • Use of compartment geometry for analysis, simulation and
Most of the cost related to manufacturing and operation of a virtual prototyping tools (noise propagation, fire control,
ship is committed in this early stage, therefore it is paramount to evacuation routes, …)
define the most reasonable ship general arrangement with the • Creation and handling of user-defined attributes
highest accuracy possible. (firefighting, insulation, vulnerability, …)
This rational process of finding the better design requires the
evaluation of multiple feasible alternatives. So it is very In addition, the integrated approach to compartment
important to use a fast, flexible and reliable design tool. management should be used for an early estimate of material
This paper describes the tool developed by SENER, based on its and production cost, and concepts such as volume, weight,
dual experience as ship designer and shipbuilding CAD painting areas, welding lengths, insulation must be addressed.
developer, as well as on the feedback from its customers. So the easier definition of compartments taking in mind multiple
considerations, and the possibility to handle intelligent data
FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS about them are the key requirements at this stage.
Regarding the definition of the general arrangement and the
reuse of data, different concepts are required during the stages Basic and Detail Design Stage
of the design and operation of the ship. During the detail design stage, the most important requirement
is the reutilization of early design work to create the ship 3D

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model and to generate all the outputs for fabrication and
assembly.
At the beginning of the project the definition of the ship takes in
consideration the operational point of view, distribution of
compartments, volumes, spaces, etc. As the ship project evolves
into the basic and detail stages, it is necessary to organize the
information according to the build strategy, that is, by assembly
or block to fit the shipyard production capabilities. However,
once the ship has been assembled, the concept of construction
block makes no sense anymore and the compartment is again the
key concept to organize the ship data.
Typically required concepts at these stages regarding the general
arrangement definition refer to an intelligent generation of Figure 1: Basic Design: the 2D approach versus the 3D
compartments that can be reused in the detail design stage. In approach
addition, at this stage it is necessary a more accurate calculation
of painting areas, welding characteristics, scheduling, checking Some advantages of the 2D are the possibility of starting from
of accessibility, etc scratch, or with very little information available, and the ease of
small modifications, directly made on a drawing. Other
Life Cycle Support advantage is that the 2D tools are widely used by all designers.
The cost of designing and building a ship is relatively small Main drawbacks refer to the little intelligence associated to the
compared with the cost of operation and maintenance compartments and general arrangement, and the lack of
throughout the ship’s life cycle. In this regard, the integrated possibility to reuse or integrate the information with other
approach allows designing more efficient ships as a compromise calculation and analysis tools. The possibility of introducing
solution of theoretically optimal solutions concerning cost, errors and inconsistencies is another important drawback.
safety and performance. It also provides an excellent support to
calculate removal paths, determine evacuation routes or train The 3D Approach
crew, to mention just a few applications. On this approach, the compartments are generated as solids,
based on or referred to the main surfaces of the ship (hulls,
DESIGN APPROACHES decks and bulkheads). The objective is to define not only the
Compartment design and definition of ship’s general geometry of the spaces, but a complete product model including
arrangement used to be done by using 2D drafting tools the ship general arrangement and a hierarchical tree structure of
combined, but not integrated or poorly integrated, with other ship compartments with associated attributes.
calculation and analysis tools. 3D layout techniques are used in combination with libraries of
Recent evolution of the 3D CAD has led to a new approach for predefined models of equipment and accommodation items, to
compartment design, based on the generation of an early 3D complete the ship general arrangement.
model of the ship, including ship compartments. The main advantage is that the designers can build an accurate
One of the best advantages offered by FGA is the smart and practical 3D product model of the ship general arrangement
combination of those 2D and 3D approaches, as it will be from the very beginning, including intelligence and attributes
described. associated to compartments.
Most significant drawback is that the general arrangement
The 2D Approach definition is more time consuming in the initial stages, when it is
On the 2D or traditional approach, designers work with standard necessary to perform many modifications in layout of
drafting tools on a set of views of the ship, typically an elevation compartments or when not too much 3D information is available
view and several deck plant views, to draw the ship’s general for equipment and accommodation items.
arrangement. Libraries of 2D views or symbols of equipment
and accommodation items are also used. The FGA Approach
As mentioned, FGA combines in a single tool the advantages of
the 2D and the 3D approaches, removing most of their
restrictions and drawbacks. This combination of 2D and 3D
functionalities and techniques was already adopted in previous
accommodation design modules of FORAN.
The designers can work indistinctly in two different but
synchronized environments, 2D (deck plant view) and 3D (ship
model), switching from one to the other in accordance with their
own preferences, availability of data, or particular ease of
definition. Working in 2D, the 3D model will be built as the

Perez The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition 2

consequence of a drawing; whereas working in the 3D space, This definition method is particularly useful when the space
the 2D environment will be kept coherent as a symbolic dimensions must be modified frequently: not only the
representation of the ship being defined. parametric surface, but also the adjacent surfaces, and all model
The 2D tools are used for quickly defining or modifying the affected, are automatically readapted to the new parameters.
limits of compartments and accommodation spaces on a deck
plant view, or when there is not enough 3D information on 2D Definition Method
equipment and accommodation items. According to the traditional way of working, the compartments
It is relevant to mention that all data generated is stored in a are defined on plan views of existing decks. For this purpose,
single database in FORAN. This allows the reuse of information FGA uses the concept of working deck, which may be either the
in further stages of the design. In addition, it is possible to work whole deck surface or a part of it. When the working deck is
in a complex collaborative or distribute design environment. created, FGA requires the selection of an upper deck or a height
value as a reference; if needed, several decks can compose this
FGA COMPARTMENT DESIGN TOOLS upper limit. Using these working decks also permits several
designers to work concurrently on the same ship’s deck.
The Ship Main Surfaces Having as a reference the fixed geometry, that is, the deck
The normal starting point in the compartment definition by FGA contour and the bulkhead intersection lines, the user can define
is the ship surface model, made up of the molded surfaces of auxiliary geometry as the reference for other compartment
hulls, decks, bulkheads, appendages and superstructures. The limits.
geometrical representation for all these surfaces is a collection Thus, the compartment definition becomes an easy process: in
of trimmed NURBS and Bezier patches, ruled surfaces and most cases by a single click to select a closed 2D contour on the
implicit surfaces such as planes, cylinders, spheres, cones and working deck.
torus. The geometrical definition of a compartment can be enriched by
The surface model may have been created by FORAN surface assigning a set of user-defined attributes, for instance type or
definition modules (FSURF and FDESIGN) or imported from functionality.
third-party systems by using proprietary or industry-standard
formats, such as IGES or STEP AP-203 and AP-216. Topological Links
The preliminary compartment layout could be described by the The compartment definition is based on the ship molded
internal volumes defined by the intersection of those molded surfaces, which compose a fully topological surface model. Any
surfaces. Inside these volumes, FGA allows the definition of modification in these surfaces can be automatically propagated
auxiliary planes, limits and subdivisions to refine the to the definition of compartments. FGA recalculates the
compartment arrangement, thus creating all necessary locals and compartment geometry, starting with the deck contour and the
rooms. bulkhead intersection lines, stored on the working decks, and
then, following a top-down process, the user-defined auxiliary
3D Definition Methods geometry.
The basis of the 3D compartment definition is the selection of a
set of surfaces or limits that enclose a particular volume. If the The Solid Model
surfaces may define more than one volume, the user can choose As a geometric and topological object, the compartment is
the intended solution by means of a bounding or enclosing box, represented with as solid model internally defined by a
selecting a reference face, an edge or an inside reference point. boundary representation (B-rep), the limits of the solid model
In most cases, the compartments are limited by six surfaces being a set of connected trimmed surfaces.
oriented as per ship’s reference system: aft and fore on the x The faces of the solid are given by the ship molded surfaces and
axis; port and starboard on the y axis; and lower and upper on the rest of compartment limits defined with auxiliary geometry.
the z axis; for instance, a hold limited by two transverse The edges of the solid model correspond to the intersection of
bulkheads, a longitudinal bulkhead, the inner hull, the double the selected surfaces as limits of the compartment.
bottom and the main deck. Yet FGA permits to define any kind
of compartment by using a set of general surfaces, for instance,
a fore peak limited by the external hull, the main deck and the
collision bulkhead. In any case, the intersection curves are
calculated to obtain the compartment edges, which trim the
surfaces to give as a result the compartment faces.

Parametrical Spaces
Vertical trunks, staircases, tunnels are examples of special types
of space that can be defined by FGA using predefined
parametrical objects such as boxes, cylinders, spheres and
cones.

Perez The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition 3

 This is usually made by positioning existing 3D models,
previously created, in the compartments and deck areas of the
vessel. If only 2D information is available, it is also possible to
perform a preliminary layout of the existing 2D equipment
views on the corresponding deck areas.
FORAN includes multiple functions to define accurately and
quickly 3D models of equipment and other items: by combining
parametric objects (cylinders, cones, nozzles …), by sweeping
operations (of an object along any space curve), by
transformations, or by importing from other systems or directly
from manufacturer’s catalogues.

Figure 2: View of compartments in the solid model

From the solid model defined by the boundary representation,

FGA triangulates every face. A special treatment is used for
connecting the triangles on the calculated edges in order to
avoid gaps on face limits.
The solid model is a powerful basis for advanced visualization,
accurate naval architecture calculations derived from
geometrical properties, and searching (for instance,
compartment where a given structural, outfitting, or
accommodation element is located).

Graphic Interface Figure 3: Preliminary layouts

FGA features an advanced graphic user interface, including
multiple views, projections and rendering methods such as The 3D model of equipments can be defined with different
wireframe, shading and hidden lines removal or dotted, and levels of detail or representation, simpler for initial design, more
different levels of translucency / transparency for every object. complex for detail design, and are organized into hierarchical
A general conic view allows the user to walk through the libraries applicable to different projects. Dismounting, safety or
compartments to check the design, a feature particularly useful operational areas can be included as part of the model definition
when equipment and accommodation elements are visible in the and can be switched on or off during the design process. A
scene. macro language is also available to facilitate the definition of
In the graphical 3D environment multiple elements can be systematic series of models.
selected and highlighted for further application of any kind of The layout of equipment and accommodation items is simply
operation or calculation procedure. made by selecting a model in the library and positioning it on
the corresponding compartment or deck area. The equipment
items can be topologically positioned as regards other ship
Calculation of Properties elements, such as the frame system or decks.
The calculation of compartment properties takes advantage of
Space reservations can also be made by means of geometrical
the solid model definition and the advanced triangulation of
macros. In addition, it is possible to perform a preliminary
faces. As a result, typical values such as volume, inertia, center
layout of the ship main distributor systems by defining the
of gravity coordinates, and surface area of boundary surfaces are
geometry of the pipes and ducts.
calculated with very high accuracy.
If needed, other FORAN modules can supplement the
In case of special spaces like tanks, the benefits of the use of a
information generated by FGA by incorporating into the ship
triangulation method is shown in the free surface effects at intact
model auxiliary structures such as foundations, ladders, gratings
ship stability when inertias are calculated. The solid model can
or non-structural tanks, which can be easily defined as a
be intersected and subdivided by a plane for the calculation of
combination of plate and profile parts or by using a macro
the main properties of the resultant volumes.
language. These auxiliary structures are also stored in
hierarchically organized libraries open to different projects.
PRELIMINARY LAYOUTS FGA has specific features for accommodation layout, allowing a
Apart from the definition of ship compartments, to complete the fast and topological definition and modification of walls, panels,
ship general arrangement it is also necessary to carry out the rooms, cabins, windows, holes and many other characteristic
preliminary layout of main equipment and accommodation objects. As noted, FGA builds a 3D solid representation of the
items. objects based on their 2D layout on the decks and the height

Perez The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition 4

between decks. Actually, FGA will supersede the previous Combining a scripting language based on the standard
FORAN accommodation design modules. ECMAScript and FORAN intrinsic functionality, FDE allows
the designer to create and use new commands, access the
DRAWINGS GENERATION product model database, and generate fully customized reports
Drawings for all design disciplines in FORAN (initial design, and other documents.
hull, outfitting and electrical) are managed by FDESIGN In parallel with the development of FGA, the development
module. environment has been enhanced to permit the access to space
FDESIGN generates drawings based on FGA entities, either to and compartment trees and associated data.
represent a single compartment, a group of compartments, for The most important compartment-related functionalities
instance engine room arrangement, or the complete ship general available within FDE can be divided into three main groups:
arrangement. The drawing may contain any combination of • Geometric spaces: including not only the purely geometric
selected elements of the 3D model of the ship and that can be characteristics, such as volume, center of gravity, area of
represented by means of: boundary surfaces, but also hierarchical or relational
• Main orthogonal projections dependencies, such as topology, volume addition or
• Sections by any plane subtraction.
• Perspective views with any orientation • Compartments: the values of any user-defined attributes
may be inquired and modified by user programming.
A set of user defined templates permits to customize the views • General arrangement elements and space reservation, which
generation and the final aspect of the drawings. are defined in a parametric way and therefore easy to be
handled by scripts.

One of the main functional requirements of FGA has been the

fast verification of design in accordance with the rules of
classification societies, IMO and flag administrations, as a
further step towards the so-called rule-based design.
The FGA user may, by combining the different features of FDE,
obtain tailor-made reports with compartment related data, for
example a document with the volume and center of gravity of
spaces grouped by type of cargo.

REUSE OF DATA
There is a tight integration of all FORAN modules for end-to-
end creation and management of compartments. Ship designers
can take advantage of FGA to integrate the objects created with
this new module within a highly productive and intuitive design
environment.
Figure 4: Drawing generation in FDESIGN

Drawings are generated directly from the 3D product model. Model Refinement
The 2D entities that represent the product model elements are Main FORAN modules such as FHULL, FPIPE and FCABLE
linked to the 3D elements and are always updated with the latest can access the compartment trees and feature a set of common
version of the product model. A symbolic representation is commands to perform compartment-related actions, including:
possible and different visualization methods are available. • Reading compartments selected from the trees
Additional information (labels, dimensions, including ship • Visualizing the compartment 3D solid model and its name
reference, bill of materials, texts) can be added drawings but • Selecting compartment, either from the tree or from the
remaining linked to the product model elements. graphic area
Drawings can be regenerated automatically after changes have • Getting information about the compartment boundaries and
been made in the 3D model, including labels and dimensioning. characteristics
• Editing user-defined attributes
DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT • Associating and disassociating elements to a compartment
With the main goal of allowing users to customize the system, • Retrieving information of a compartment pointing to one of
add new capabilities and automate processes frequently its elements
repeated, FORAN features an integrated development • Including the compartment concept as an additional
environment, called FORAN developed environment (FDE). hierarchy in the build strategy
FDE was conceived keeping in mind the ease of use in order to
be practical and efficient for users of different levels. Reuse of information in further stages: Basic and

Perez The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition 5

Detail Design
The generation of the general arrangement in a smart tool REFERENCES
integrated with the rest of disciplines benefits the overall design Pérez, R. y Toman, M. (2014). An Innovative Approach for Hull
process. Surface Fairing stages. COMPIT 2014 (13th
As regards hull structure, the handling of FGA compartments International Conference on Computer Applications
provides more accurate painting area calculations and automatic and Information Technology in the Maritime
assignment of welding procedures based on compartment Industries). Redworth, United Kingdom. 12-14 of May.
characteristics, among other great advantages. All compartments Pérez, R.; Alonso, V. y Valderrama, A. (2013). The use of a 3D
can be visualized which is helpful when the detail design of CAD System for early design in shipbuilding. SPS 2013
structure is performed. (Ship Production Symposium). Bellevue, WA, USA. 6-
Most elements included in the ship model during the 8 of November.
preliminary layout, can be reused in later stages when Doo-Jin Lee; Cebollero, A. y Pérez, R. (2013). New Approach
developing outfitting and electrical detail layouts or to Design Transition in Korean Production
coordination drawings, because any element positioned during Environment. ICCAS 2013. Busan, South Korea. 24-26
the general arrangement definition is there in further stages. The of September.
equipment associated to compartments in the preliminary layout Alonso, V.; Gonzalez, C. y Pérez, R. (2013). Efficient use of 3D
can be fully reused for subsequent assignment to zones and tools at early design stages. COMPIT 2013. Cortona,
systems. Additional attributes can be entered at any time for a Italy. 15-17 of April.
full definition of equipment. Equipment models could be also
refined by using the different levels of representation.
And this capability of reusing data is even more evident in the
case of accommodation design, which, as mentioned, will be
carried out integrally with FGA.

CONCLUSIONS
As described in this paper, FGA has been conceived with
several main objectives in mind:
• To reduce the design time and improve quality in the early
design stages avoiding errors and inconsistencies
• To facilitate the analysis and study of different design
alternatives
• The general arrangement of a ship will evolve during the
definition and production stages. A smart and integrated
design tool facilities the task of introduce changes and keep
it update to allow the reuse of data in other design stages

FGA can be considered not only as a specific application for

integrated management of ship compartments, but also as a
complete general arrangement tool.
FGA combines the advantages of designing in 2D and 3D
environments, thus facilitating the design tasks in the early
stages of design when the available information is poor or
scarce.
FGA provides specific functions for definition and management
of ship compartments, together with other capabilities oriented
to equipment and accommodation layout, all of them working
on an advanced modelling and visualization environment.
Combined with FDE, the integrated FORAN Development
Environment, FGA permits to develop new functions and
commands, from generating tailor-made reports through to
implementing rule-based design capabilities.
One relevant characteristic of FGA is the integration within
FORAN shipbuilding CAD system, thus taking full advantage
of other initial design modules, such as hull form definition and
naval architecture calculations, and facilitating the reuse of data
in other design stages.

Perez The ultimate approach for General Arrangement Definition 6