FATIGUE ASSESSMENT OF SHIP SUPERSTRUCTURE AT EXPANSION JOINT

Despite the long history of application of subdivided superstructures and deckhouses, and efforts of ship designers and researchers a sensible solution in design of reliable details at the cut endings was not found yet. It may be explained as consequence of controversial requirements in design of the cut endings. Fatigue design of the superstructure details is addressed to solution of the problem. Presented is an example of fatigue design of the cut ending in a fast ship superstructure based on application of modified «Strain-Life» criterion for fatigue and subsequent approach which utilizes Neuber’s formula and material cyclic properties. To realize the approach a procedure of the long-term stress distribution transformation to the block-type format is developed. Efficiency of the developed technique is illustrated by comparing the results with those of application standard S-N criteria based techniques. The results of analysis allowed selection of the expansion joint detail of the superstructure geometry and construction procedure providing necessary reliability.