Somewhere About 12 Square Feet

Edward Wilding’s Testimony:

• Edward Wilding, chief naval architect for Harland and Wolff, estimated the iceberg caused an equivalent opening of 12 square feet spread across five major watertight compartments.
• This damage was not a continuous rip but consisted of various punctures along the starboard side.

Flooding Analysis:

• Wilding’s estimate was based on the assumption that the forepeak, cargo holds No. 1, 2, and 3, and Boiler Room No. 6 were flooding.
• He calculated that 16,000 tons of water entered the ship within 40 minutes, with the damage located about 25 feet below the waterline.

Milk Container Experiment:

• A simple experiment using a milk container can help visualize and quantify the flooding process.
• The rate of flooding slows down as the water level inside the container rises, similar to how the Titanic flooded.

Bernoulli’s Principle:

• The inflow velocity of water through an opening can be determined using Bernoulli’s equation, which relates static and dynamic pressure.
• The initial inflow velocity is highest when the container (or compartment) is empty and decreases as it fills.

Calculating the Damage:

• Using the assumptions and data provided by Wilding, the equivalent aggregate area of the openings in the Titanic’s hull was calculated to be approximately 11.67 square feet.
• This calculation aligns with Wilding’s estimate of 12 square feet.

Forward Movement:

• Evidence suggests the Titanic moved forward slowly after the collision, possibly to clear nearby ice.
• The forward movement at low speed (8 knots) would have only slightly increased the flooding rate, adding about 5.5% to the initial inflow rate.

Summary:

• The analysis confirms Wilding’s estimate of the damage and shows that the forward movement of the Titanic did not significantly contribute to the overall flooding.
• The document provides a detailed explanation of the flooding process and the factors involved in estimating the damage to the Titanic.