# Wave drag on asymmetric bodies

## TL;DR

This paper investigates how asymmetry in bodies affects wave drag, demonstrating experimentally that modifications to Michell's theory can account for these effects, which vary with depth and Froude number.

## Contribution

It introduces a modified Michell's theory incorporating boundary layer growth to explain asymmetry effects on wave drag.

## Key findings

- Asymmetry can reduce or increase wave drag depending on conditions.
- Modified theory accurately predicts experimental results.
- Asymmetry effects depend on depth and Froude number.

## Abstract

An asymmetric body with a sharp leading edge and a rounded trailing edge produces a smaller wave disturbance moving forwards than backwards, and this is reflected in the wave drag coefficient. This experimental fact is not captured by Michell's theory for wave drag (Michell 1898). In this study, we use a tow-tank experiment to investigate the effects of asymmetry on wave drag, and show that these effects can be replicated by modifying Michell's theory to include the growth of a symmetry-breaking boundary layer. We show that asymmetry can have either a positive or a negative effect on drag, depending on the depth of motion and the Froude number.