228 OCEANOGRAPHY IN THE UNITED STATES 



The structural research is being conducted on a series of small machined 

 models one of which is here in the laboratory being instrumented with wire- 

 resistance strain gages. After instrumentation, it will be inserted in a tank and 

 the oceanographic envircmment which is significant for the structure, pressure, 

 will be exerted on it to the point of collapse. During the application of the 

 pressure, readings will be taken from each of these gages to determine structural 

 behavior and correlation N\ith theoretical predictions. The mode of failure will 

 also be observed so that the structural behavior may be compared with the ap- 

 propriate tlieories for collapse which are concurrently being developed at the 

 model basin. 



Structural adequacy is of primary concern to the Bureau of Ships which has 

 the resp'tfisibility for design of such vehicles and to the David Taylor Model 

 Basin which has the responsibility for conducting research on which such de- 

 signs can be based and of later validating the adequacy of the structural design 

 by model testing. Oceanographic information is an integral part of the chain 

 that links research to operations. 



No operator will invest time, money, resources, and manpower into a venture 

 unless the advantages are clear. So it is with submarines. Tlie flexibility and 

 mobility offered by greater operating depths can become advantages when the 

 characteristics of these depths (oceanography) are known aaid the wherewithal 

 for attaining them (structural research and design) are also known. 



But here the two fields coalesce. There can be no real oceanographic research 

 at great depths without a vehicle capable of reaching and staying at them safely. 

 Fortunately, with the availability of the bathyscaphe, much information can be 

 obtained to delineate clearly the characteristics of great depths, so that morles 

 of operations can be developed to exploit these advantages. Then — and only 

 then — will deep-diving submarines be necessities, not interesting toys. AjuI when 

 that time comes, the deep-diving submarines will be wanted overnight. 



