Cable simulation in scene of tug handling simulator

Tug handling simulator not only can be used as the supplement of ship handling simulator, but also can be applied to the tug driver training and scientific research work. In the scene of tug handling simulator, the cable is an important part and is the focus of operators´ attention. This paper analyzes the cable force model during the assistance operation process of the tug, and considers the affection of the cable mooring tension, gravity, air resistance, friction and so on. The cable is modeled and rendered with the spring-mass model, and the process of the cable´s heaving up and paying out is simulated through changing the number of mass. As for the collision detection between cable and quay, a dimension reduction method is developed by determining whether the two-dimensional line segments intersect or not. The work has been applied in the tug handling simulator, and meets the display requirements of simulator.