ABSTRACT
The main objective with this investigation is to evaluate and compare a series of car deck panels by their weights and performance in satisfying
1 INTRODUCTION
Thin-walled structures are widely used in the maritime industry because they make the structure more cost-effective by offering a desirable strength/weight ratio. Reduction in the structural weight of ships will increase their cargo-carrying efficiency. This increase in efficiency is obtained by either carrying more cargo with the same displacement or by increasing the speed of the ship. Moreover, the substantial decrease in material cost supersedes the higher production costs. One can easily predict that both improvements are also important from a sustainability point of view. Less emission of hazardous gases produced by marine diesel engines and reducing the use of natural resources are the examples of these structures’ advantages in terms of sustainability.
