STRUCTURAL SYSTEM RELIABILITY-ANALYSIS OF SWATH SHIPS

In this paper the structural system reliability method is applied to a built SWATH ship. Firstly, a typical transverse frame in the SWATH is idealized by a one-dimensional model through a series of finite eleme nt analyses. The safety margins are automatically generated by compute r and the interaction of bending moment and axial force, including buc kling effect, is taken into account. The significant failure modes of the structure are identified by an extended beta-unzipping method, and the system reliability index is then evaluated by Ditlevsen's bounds. It is found that the most critical section is in the haunch area, and all the critical sections included in the significant failure paths a re in the haunch area. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.