ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the use of the orthotropic first-order shear deformation theory to predict the geometrically nonlinear behavior of a ship-like box girder. The basic idea there is to carry out numerical the microstructural analysis for effective, homogenized, stress-strain curves. These can be used then to assess the nonlinear macroscopic response of a structure. Progressive buckling response is studied by carrying out a geometrically nonlinear analysis of the structure. The chapter presents more realistic geometry used in ship design and identifies the problems occurring due to this. For this purpose, a box-beam with transverse walls is considered in 4-point-bending. The chapter provides an enhanced single-layer approach for the elastic progressive failure analysis of a box-like ship. In the single-layer model, loads and boundary conditions are transferred to the geometric mid-plane, while in the validation model they are assigned to the sandwich outer skin.
