AUV’s Rudder Failures

  By Sasan Vakili, TU Delft

 

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) are a complex class of systems comprised of many subsystems that operate in dynamic and uncertain environments. Such complex systems contain many failure points which can cause the operation to fail.

An AUV’s rudder subsystem is one example of a subsystem that when presents a failure might lead to the whole system to fail. Failures in the rudder system of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) can vary in nature and severity. Here are some common types of rudder failures that AUVs might encounter:

1. Mechanical Failures: – Rudder linkage breakage or detachment – Damage to the rudder shaft – Corrosion or wear of rudder bearings – Misalignment of rudder components;
2. Electrical Failures: – Failure of the servo motor responsible for rudder actuation – Electrical wiring faults or short circuits – Malfunction of electronic control units (ECUs) responsible for rudder control;
3. Hydrodynamic Failures: – Cavitation around the rudder, leading to loss of control or reduced effectiveness – Excessive drag caused by rudder design or positioning, affecting vehicle maneuverability – Ineffective rudder response to changes in water currents or pressure gradients;
4. Software or Control System Failures: – Software bugs or glitches affecting rudder command interpretation – Communication failures between control systems and rudder actuators – Inadequate fault detection and recovery mechanisms in the control software;
5. Environmental Failures: – Fouling of the rudder surface, increasing drag and reducing maneuverability – Collision damage causing deformation or detachment of the rudder – Entrapment of foreign objects in the rudder mechanism, hindering movement;
6. Operational Errors: – Incorrect calibration or setup of rudder control systems – Improper maintenance practices leading to deterioration of rudder components – Inadequate training or supervision of AUV operators, resulting in navigational errors or mishandling of the vehicle.

These types of failures highlight the importance of robust design, regular maintenance, and effective monitoring systems to ensure the reliability and safety of AUV rudder systems during underwater operations.