Oceanliner Designs Breakup Analysis

[Kyle Naber]

Here’s a documentary-type analysis on the breakup. It includes examples of other ships that have broken apart, different factors, the inquiry, basic physics, and a map of the wreck/build design. There’s some cool shots from THG’s sinking animation from different angles too.

 

[Kyle Naber]

48:11 shows Lightoller’s perspective when the break took place.

 

[Alan Smithee]

I’m watching now and was going to link it here - you beat me to it.

He does a great job as usual.

 

[Arun Vajpey]

48:11 shows Lightoller’s perspective when the break took place.

It sure does. I think Lightoller said that he was one of the first ones to get onto the overturned Collapsible B and so, he certainly would have been one of those in the timeframe shown in the video reconstruction.

Of course, it is only one of many such reconstructions and the sequence of factual events could have been somewhat different. But even if that particular one was only partly correct, it gives a good idea of where Collapsible B and the people on top if it could have been at the time the final break occurred. Of course, it would have been quite a lot darker but even so it seems to me that almost everyone on board #B would naturally have been looking at the Titanic and if so, I find it hard to believe how a trained observer like Lightoller could have missed such a catastrophic event.

 

[Kyle Naber]

It sure does. I think Lightoller said that he was one of the first ones to get onto the overturned Collapsible B and so, he certainly would have been one of those in the timeframe shown in the video reconstruction.

Of course, it is only one of many such reconstructions and the sequence of factual events could have been somewhat different. But even if that particular one was only partly correct, it gives a good idea of where Collapsible B and the people on top if it could have been at the time the final break occurred. Of course, it would have been quite a lot darker but even so it seems to me that almost everyone on board #B would naturally have been looking at the Titanic and if so, I find it hard to believe how a trained observer like Lightoller could have missed such a catastrophic event.

I’m not too sure if it was super easy to observe at this angle. I think the video downplays the plume of smoke and sparks that was produced by the break. If you saw this event for the first time, you might think the third funnel just toppled towards your boat.

 

[Arun Vajpey]

I’m not too sure if it was super easy to observe at this angle. I think the video downplays the plume of smoke and sparks that was produced by the break. If you saw this event for the first time, you might think the third funnel just toppled towards your boat.

I never said anything about it being easy to spot that the Titanic had broken-up; I agree that it was quite dark at the time. But Jack Thayer's must have mentioned to Skidmore on the Carpathia about at least the probability of the ship breaking apart before the final plunge, thus prompting the latter to draw those famous sketches. Thayer's known accounts are not easy to analyze but I understood that he was still in the water and swimming (towards Collapsible B) when the catastrophic break occurred. It would have been even harder IMO to see that from his position and if a 17 year-old landlubber kid could at least have thought that he saw the Titanic's break-up from the water, one would have thought that the highly experienced Second Officer would at least have considered it from the top of the overturned Collapsible B.

But of course, that reconstruction might be wrong and the actual catastrophic break might have occurred while none of the eventual Collapsible B survivors had actually climbed on to its back.

 

[GamePlayerZ]

Although it was a nicely researched video, I feel like the tower sections coming off at the surface and landing where they are today isn't explained well enough, specifically the third funnel deckhouse (known as the "forward tower").

The third funnel deckhouse is far east off the debris field. Mike theorizes that it broke away and simply "fluttered out in different directions" until it landed where it is today. At least for me, this does not make sense, as it is an awkwardly shaped section and isn't light enough so that the current can influence it towards a specific direction. Had it simply broken away, it would probably maintain the direction it fell towards, thus not ending up where it is today.

I feel like a better explanation is that the third funnel deckhouse was formed during the breakup, but held on until the stern sank. During the stern's descent, it would have broken away as it spiraled. That being said, I am not an expert on this matter, and I would definitely appreciate an explanation from someone with more experience.

 

[Zirnitra]

i have very tiny question about all that steel stuff...when titanic was built not all rivets were put with riiveting machine,some rivets had to be done by hammering them,would this cause some microfractures on shell plating around rivet holes? could these microfractures play some roles during ship breakup?

 

[laooojuunn]

The breakdown of Oceanliner Designs, especially when looking at the Titanic, really shows how important it is to have solid maritime engineering. The Titanic disaster drives home the impact of design problems and reminds us that we always need to be working on making things safer in the maritime world.