ABSTRACT
Ships are built of plates, stiffeners, girders, bulkheads and frames that contribute to its strength. The plates are supported by the stiffeners, which keep them in position to absorb the applied loadings. The frames that prevent the stiffeners to buckle and support them are stiffer and deeper than the stiffeners, which eliminate the overall grillage buckling. Ship structures are assembled of stiffened panels and an estimation of the maximum load carrying capacity or the ultimate strength of these elements is of high importance for the safety assessment and economical design of the structure.
