SEAMANSHIP

Load on Derricks
Stresses or Forces There are many components to the forces that act on a derrick when
Acting on a Derrick lifting a weight, but the four main ones are the following:

� The stress on the derrick head block (P1)

� The thrust on the derrick (P2)
� The stress on span block (P3)
� The stress on the heel block (P4)

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The stresses on a derrick can be found by using the parallelogram

method, which is explained in the Mathematics, Sciences and
Conversions chapter. Fundamentally, when two or more forces act
on the same point at an angle to each other, there is a Resultant Force
which combines these forces.

Applying the Assume a derrick has a single weight, W, hanging on its head, as
Parallelogram shown in the figure below. A force acts downward equal to W load,
Vector Method to a which is represented by vector AB. Another force on the span acts
Derrick on the derrick head to hold it, which is vector AD. From these two
vectors representing the two forces acting on a derrick, we can use
the parallelogram method to obtain the resultant force, which acts
as a thrust on the derrick, by the following steps:

1. From B, draw a line parallel to AD, which is the span of the

derrick, and cut the derrick at C.

2. Connect CD, which should be parallel to AB.

AC should be the resultant force of vector AB and AD. So AC is the

thrust on the derrick.

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The figure above shows the components that create the four main
resultant forces on the derrick. These resultant forces can be
obtained by using the parallelogram method as follows:

1. Draw a diagram of the mast, derrick and span as per their

dimensions and chosen scale; the scale doesn’t have to be the
same as the scale used for the vectors in the parallelogram;

2. Determine the resultant stress on the derrick head block;

3. Determine the thrust on the derrick;

4. Determine the stress on the span block;

5. Determine the stress on heel block.

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Procedure to draw 1. Choose a scale for the diagram and draw a vertical line that
Diagram of Derrick represents the mast;
with Span and
Derrick 2. From the bottom end of the mast, use a compass to draw the arc
with radius equalling the length of the derrick;

3. From the top end of the mast, use a compass to draw the arc
with radius equalling the length of the span. The intersection of
these two arcs is the derrick head.

Procedure to 1. Choose a scale for the vector in a parallelogram;

obtain Stress on the
Derrick Head Block 2. Calculate the tension on the hauling part by using the formula:

W (10 + n )
S=
10P

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3. From the derrick head, lay down the vector (AD) along the
derrick, which represents tension on the hauling part as per
chosen scale;

4. From the derrick head, lay downward vertically a vector (AB),

which represents the weight being lifted;

5. Complete the parallelogram; the stress on the derrick is the

resultant vector AC.

In parallelogram ABCD

AB : Weight being lifted

AD : Tension on hauling part
AC : Stress on the derrick head block AC = AB + AD

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Procedure to obtain Obtain the thrust on a derrick as follows:

the Thrust on the
Derrick 1. From C, draw CE parallel to the topping lift span;

2. AE should be the thrust on the derrick.

If the weight of the derrick and the hauling parts is taken into
consideration, then from C, extending CG equals the total weight of
derrick and hauling part. Then the thrust becomes AH, instead of AF,
and the tension on the topping lift span becomes AI, instead of AE.

In the parallelogram ACFE

AF : Tension on topping lift span
AE : Thrust on derrick AE = AC + AF

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Procedure to obtain 1. From X, draw vector XV along the lifting span, with magnitude
the Stress on a Span equalling AF, the tension on the topping lift span;
Block
2. Draw vector XW; if there is a single block rigged at the top of the
mast to pull the lifting span, then the magnitude equals XV. If a
tackle is rigged, then XW equals the tension on the hauling part;

3. Complete the parallelogram; the stress on the span block derrick

is the resultant vector XY.

In parallelogram XVYW
XV : Tension in topping lift span
XW : Stress in the downhaul of the topping lift
XY : Stress on the span block XY = XV + XW

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Procedure to obtain 1. From K, draw vector KM along the derrick with KM=AD;
the Stress on the
Heel Block 2. 
From K, draw vector KL pointing toward the winch, with
magnitude equalling the pulling power of the winch;

3. Complete the parallelogram; the stress on the heel block is the

resultant vector KN.

In parallelogram KLNM
KM : stress in cargo runner acting in the direction of the derrick
KL : stress in cargo runner acting in the direction of the winch
KN : stress on the heel block KN = KM + KL

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Example A derrick 15 m long has a span 10 m which is attached to the mast

at 12 m height above the heel. A weight of 5 tonnes is lifted by a
gun tackle using disadvantage with the runner arranged through the
derrick head, then along the derrick, then led to the winch, which is
2 m below the heel block and 2 m forward of the heel:

AB = 5tonnes
W (10 + P ) 5(10 + 2)
=AD = = 3tonnes
10P 10 ( 2)
From triangle XAK:
AX 2 = KX 2 + AK 2 − 2( KX )( AK ) cosXKA

Therefore:

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 KX 2 + AK 2 − AX 2   122 + 152 − 102 

= cos −1 
XKA =  cos −1  = 41.7°
 2( KX )( AK )   2(12)(15) 
   

Similarly:
 AX 2 + AK 2 − KX 2   102 + 152 − 122 
= cos −1 
XAK =  cos −1  = 52.9°
 2( AX )( AK )   2(10)(15) 
   

= 180° − XKA − XAK

KXA = 180° − 41.7° − 52.9=
° 85.4°

Stress on derrick head = XKA

DAB = 41.7° (KX ll AB)
block
From parallelogram ABCD:

= 180° − DAB
ADC
= 180° − 41.7
=° 138.3° (Ajacent angles in parallelogram)

From triangle ADC:

AC2 = AD2 + DC2 − 2( AD )( DC ) cos ADC

AC= AD2 + DC2 − 2( AD )( DC ) cos ADC

= 32 + 52 − 2(3)(5) cos138.3°
= 7.5tonnes

Thrust on the derrick From triangle DEC:

SinDEC SinDCE
=
DC DE

DCE = AXK (AX ll EC and KX ll DC)

DCSinDEC 5sin85.4°
=DE = = 6.3
SinDEC sin52.9°

AE =AD + DE =+
3 6.3 =9.3tonnes

Stress on span block SinDAC SinADC DC × sin ADC

= ∴ sinDAC =
DC AC AC

 DC × sin ADC   5 × sin138.3° 

= sin −1 
DAC =  sin −1  =  26.3°
 AC   7.5 

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= FEA
DAC = 26.3° (EF ll AC)

SinFEA SinFAE FE × sinFEA 7.5 × sin26.3°

= = FA = = 4.2tonnes
FA FE sinFAE sin52.9°

= XW
XV = FA
= 4.2tonnes

= 180° − WXV
XVY = 180° − 85.4
= 94.6°

From triangle XVY

XY2 = XV 2 + VY2 − 2( XV )( VY ) cosXVY

XY = XV 2 + VY2 − 2( XV )( VY ) cosXVY

= 4.22 + 4.22 − 2( 4.2)( 4.2) cos94.6°

= 6.2tonnes

Thrust on heel block KO =

OL =
2m ∴ OKL =°
45

= 180° − OKL − XKA

MKL = 180° − 45° − 41.7
=° 93.3°

= 180° − MKL
KMN = 180° − 93.3
=° 86.7°

From triangle KMN

KN2 = KM2 + MN2 − 2( KM )( MN ) cosKMN

KN = KM2 + MN2 − 2( KM )( MN ) cosKMN

= 4.22 + 4.22 − 2( 4.2)( 4.2) cos86.7°

= 5.8tonnes

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