APPROXIMATE ASSESSMENT OF THE ULTIMATE LONGITUDINAL STRENGTH OF THE HULL GIRDER

A method is presented to estimate the ultimate moment based on a simpl ified approach to represent the behavior of stiffened plate columns. T he assessment of the strength of a very large crude carrier is perform ed and compared With the moment at failure in hogging estimated by oth er methods applied to the same case. The proposed method allows the pr ediction of the degradation of the strength due to corrosion and resid ual stresses. It also allows the evaluation of the strength of the hul l at several heeling conditions. Finally, an analysis of the efficienc y of the high tensile steel is carried out.