Stability -- resistance to capsizing -- is a primary consideration in ship design. Before the details of hull form, deck and interior arrangement are finalized, the naval architect must determine by calculation whether sufficient stability exists for all of the intended operational modes as well as in certain damage conditions.
GHS is a prime tool for these calculations. It facilitates rapid development of the ship model on which the calculations are based. It provides powerful calculation procedures which produce measures of stability referenced to appropriate stability criteria. It readily simulates the loading of liquid and solid cargo in order to determine the effects on draft and trim as well as on stability.
Another issue in ship design is the strength of the overall structure which must be sufficient to resist longitudinal bending due to waves or nonuniform loading. GHS serves here as well, calculating shear forces, bending moments bending stresses and deflection for a given loading condition.
When changes in a design require recalculations, GHS can repeat all of these calculations with very little effort required from the user beyond making the changes to the goeomety or weight model. It can be set up to run parametric studies, showing the relationship between a design feature and stability or strength margins.