This macro generates a barge hydrostatic and structural model of a barge. To use it, include the command:

   USE_MAC V_MODEL

The macro should be called as

 
     brg_gen  \
            -station     x1,   x2,        \
            -bulk        b1,   b2,        \
            -ztop        zt1, zt2, ...    \
            -zbot        zb1, zb2, ...    \
            -y_loc       y1,   y2, ...    \
            -long_plate  lpt nlps alps    \
            -tb_plate    tbpt ntbs atbs   \
            -top_plate   tpt  ntps atps   \
            -side_plate  spt  nsps asps   \
            -bot_plate   bpt  nbps abps   \
            -prefix      a                \
            -plate                        \
            -limits      m_pdimx m_pdimy  m_pdimz
 

The four options -station, -bulk, -ztop, and -zbot have the same number of entries. Each entry defines a plane perpendicular to the barge centerline. These planes are normal where there are transverse bulkheads, but may simply be a location where one wishes to have nodes or hydrodynamic stations. The -station option defines the distance from the bow to the plane. The -BULK option defines whether or not a transverse bulkhead will be placed at this station. An entry of 1 indicates there will be a bulkhead, and 0 indicates no bulkhead. The options -ztop and -zbot define the heights of the bottom and deck above the baseline.

The option -y_loc defines the location of the side shells and the longitudinal bulkheads. These values should be in increasing order beginning with the port side. The option option -long_class defines the name of the classes for the side shell and longitudinal bulkheads.

The variables -long_plate, -tb_plate, -side_plate, top_plate, and bot_plate define the plate thickness for the various parts of the barge. The first value following each of these options is the thickness of the plate. The next two define the number of stiffeners and the area of each stiffener. An equivalent thickness is computed so that the area is equal to the area of the original plate plus the stiffeners. Here all stiffeners are assumed to be horizontal.

The option -prefix defines a character which will begin each node name defined by the macro. The -plate option define the type of structural model which will be generated. If it is not used, a single line of beams at half the depth will be used for the model. If, however, it is used then a plate model will be generated. For a plate model, the -limits option defines the refinement of the model. Here, the maximum size of plate in the x, y, and z directions. If this option is not used, the x and y dimensions are unlimited, and the z dimension is chosen so that there will be 5 plates vertically.

For a beam model, the nodes will named *.xx where . is the prefix and xx is a number which begins with 1 at the bow and increases toward the stern. For a plate model, the nodes are generated as *.xxanbc, where . is the specified qualifier, xx is the station number, a is a letter designating the distance aft of the station, n is a number for the intersection with a longitudinal bulkhead (i.e. a measure of where it is transversely), b is a letter designating the distance away from the intersection, and c is a letter designating the height of the node.