Current status and prospects of reliability analysis of hull structures under corrosion and fatigue damage

Abstract

This paper researches and summarizes the state of the art concerning the reliability analysis of hull structures under the influence of corrosion and fatigue damage. It is found through a literature survey that the objects of hull structure reliability analyses have gradually transferred from the design phase to the in-service phase of hull structures. Furthermore, the research focus develops from the single influence of corrosion and fatigue damage to its interaction effect. In the future, the key points of hull structure reliability studies will focus on the following four aspects:1) research into the influence of pitting corrosion damage on hull structure failure mechanisms and corresponding evaluation methods; 2) research into hull structure failure mechanisms under the interaction of corrosion and fatigue damage; 3) presenting a reliability evaluation method that can overcome excessive reliance on sample data, and establishing a hull structure reliability analysis model based on the damage testing data of real ships; and 4) establishing a database on the corrosion and fatigue damage of real ships under different service environments and periods.

Keywords

• hull structures
• corrosion
• fatigue
• reliability
• interaction effects