Why 1.5m corridors?

[vutpakdi]

Why do almost all ships have 1.5m wide corridors? 1.5m wide corridors seem like a considerable waste for most corridors unless the ship is carrying Virushi, Ursa, K'kree, Hivers, or one of the other wider races.

Okay, I know the meta-gaming reason: the 15 mm scale and the fact that deckplans were originally drawn with 1.5m squares.

But, what is the rationale in the game? I've only visited ships, and I seem to recall that few corridors have 1.5m wide corridtors. Most, particularly the few military ones that I've seen, have much narrower corridors.

Could it be that corridors are actually narrower than 1.5m and lined with storage spaces for things like clothes, linens, and such?

Ron

 

[far-trader]

I think you did a great job at answering your own question

About all that I'd add, besides my agreement with your own reasons, is the need to allow for vac suited individuals, and occasionally battledress troops with rbg.

So even though deckplans are (generally) drawn with no wall thickness shown it is implied. To allow space for the sliding doors, computer terminals/displays, utility conduits, emergency lockers and closets, among other things. However even with that they are still a comfortable fit and at least a full 1.0m wide.

 

[Jame]

How big is battledress, as well as vaccsuits, to need 1.5 m-wide corridors?

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Jame:
How big is battledress, as well as vaccsuits, to need 1.5 m-wide corridors?

Well, I'm certainly no Schwarzenneger and my shoulder width is about 0.7m. Vacsuits would be pretty generically sized (unlike NASA's $10million custom tailored suits) and so a little bulkier, perhaps 0.8m across the shoulders. A hard suit (the hostile environment versions and battledress) would be bulkier yet, maybe 0.9m wide. Its interesting looking at the old Mercury era suits and the more modern Space Shuttle suits. The newer ones seem much bulkier, though they are no doubt much more comfortable.

Anyway a 1.5m corridor as has been noted probably doesn't include actual wall thickness and stuff built into it so it seems a 1.0m corrider could be implied. Or perhaps its simply a code issue much like RL.

 

[TKalbfus]

Also not everybody in the Traveller Universe is Human. Spaceships would need to accomodate the largest major race. It would be interesting if their were some intelligent 1 meter tall aliens, or perhaps ones as short as 50 cm.

 

[The Hinterworlds Rambler]

What about psychological reasons? My own scoutship
sacrificed two staterooms to expand the common area to almost grandiose size... I think it's important that a crew not feel caged up while onboard. People generally perform better at tasks when they are in a non-consrtictive setting. Watch Das Boot a few times... you'll get the idea...

Hey wouldn't K'Kree starships be mostly open space or have transparent walls?

 

[far-trader]

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran:
What about psychological reasons?

Yep, good point, though I think good holographic effects on the walls and ceiling could go a long way to giving a spacious feel too.

Originally posted by Baron Saarthuran:
Hey wouldn't K'Kree starships be mostly open space or have transparent walls?

I think an alien module had such a description and I recall a deckplan of a large saucer ship with the center completely open and the walls and ceiling treated with holographic scenes of open plains and sky. I think there was a suggestion that they dedicated much more space to 'staterooms' to allow the large open space.

 

[graden1]

Another possible reason for the large corridors, and other access areas, is that the Imperium has anti-grav tech. They don't have to worry about all the extra weight created by those over-sized corridors, etc, so why not make 'em as big as they need to be?

DG

 

[Uncle Bob]

The corridors are just empty space, so they add very little mass.

DOT/FAA/CT-96/1 HUMAN FACTORS DESIGN GUIDE
9.3.1 Walkways and traffic areas

9.3.1.1 Corridors. Corridor widths shall be designed for the peak traffic load expected, for traffic directions, and for the number of entrances and exits in the area. To allow personnel to move with tolerable restrictions, the widths of corridors shall equal or exceed those given in exhibit 9.3.1.1 (see paragraph 9.3.4.4.1 for OSHA implications when a corridor is designated as part of an emergency egress).

9.3.1.2 Added clearance. Adequate clearance should be allowed for personnel wearing bulky clothing and carrying equipment.
Example. A person can move through a corridor 510 mm (20 in) wide with some difficulty; however, a one-person corridor for bulky clothes and comfortable travel should be at least 760 mm (30 in) wide (see exhibit 9.3.1.1). The dimensions of equipment to be carried or transported may add width to these minimum and preferred values.

So 1.52m is minimum for two people to pass each other wearing bulky clothes. This would be the minimum used with spacesuits.

 

[Keklas Rekobah]

If I remember correctly - I do not have my books here - a cubic volume that is 1.5 meters on a side will contain 1/2 ton of refined and compressed Deuterium (heavy Hydrogen) fuel.

This is why the deckplan of a 100 dton vessel should be composed of 200 squares, each representing 1.5 cubic meters. The third dimension of the cubic volume is assumed to be projected from the surface of the 'blueprint'.

Also, 1.5cm:1.5m is a common blueprint scale.

I hope this answers your questions.

--------------------

"No, recruit! You pull out the pin, then you throw the grenade!"

 

[scouttypej]

100 ton should have 200 squares. A ton is defined as two 1.5x1.5x3m sections. At least I hope so or I have alot of deckplans to redo.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Common LH2 has a density of 70.8 Kg/m3. This means two deckplan squares 3m high would hold 955.8 Kg, near enough 1 ton. 13.5 cubic meters of pure deuterium would mass two tons, pure tritium three tons. Traveller fuel has got to be "light" hydrogen, especially since you have to process over 125 tons of common hydrogen to get 1 ton of deuterium.

I have always assumed that Traveller ships were powered by proton-proton fusion with light hydrogen. Dueterium-Tritium or D-D is easier to "light", but it has less energy per kilo and kicks out nasty high energy neutrons that have to be shielded and still fatigue the reactor.

Oh, as for purifying water or liquid methane, about 0.7 dt when purged of 8 mass tons of oxygen or 3 mass tons carbon yields 1 mass ton of light hydrogen which fills 1 dton.