ASSESSMENT OF RELIABILITY OF SHIP STRUCTURES

THE PROPOSED WORK (PHASES I AND II) WILL PROVIDE A METHODOLOGY FOR ASSESSING STRUCTURAL RELIABILITY LEVEL OF EXISTING SHIPS. THE COMPUTERIZED METHODOLOGY WILL ESTIMATE FAILURE PROBABILITY FOR EACH IDENTIFIED FAILURE MODE. GUIDELINES WILL ALSO BE PROVIDED FOR IMPROVING DESIGN CRITERIA FOR FUTURE SHIPS BASED ON SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS OF RELIABILITY LEVELS TO VARIATIONS IN DESIGN PARAMETERS, MATERIALS, DESIGN CRITERIA AND LOADING CONDITIONS. RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE MADE OF THE MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RELIABILITY LEVELS FOR EACH SHIP TYPE (FOUR SHIPS) AND FAILURE MODE. IMPROVEMENTS TO STRUCTURAL RELIABILITY THAT HAVE THE HIGHEST PAYOFFS WILL BE IDENTIFIED ON THE BASIS OF THE PERFORMED SENSITIVITY ANALYSIS.