Real-time modeling of micro cable deployments

Extensive at-sea experiments completed by the Naval Civil Engineering Lab. (NCEL) during the Underwater Deployment Experiment (UDX) have provided a unique set of data that confirms differences between deployment of traditional large-diameter cables and the new generation of micro fiber optic cables (diam. <0.2"). These data have been used to validate existing cable dynamic models, such as SEADYN and the Makai cable model, under different deployment scenarios which include slow and rapid deployment of micro cables and deployment of micro cables with heavy in-line bodies. This paper discusses the results of these comparisons in terms of modeling accuracy and computational speed. The results demonstrate that the Makai cable model is capable of accurately modeling, faster than real-time, realistic deployment scenarios of micro fiber optic cables. The paper goes on to briefly outline the adaptation of an existing real-time control system, successfully used to deploy conventional cables, to automatically control deployment of micro cables with a high degree of positional accuracy and slack control