A review and study on ultimate strength of steel plates and stiffened panels in axial compression

This paper presents a review and study on ultimate strength analysis methods for steel plates and stiffened panels in axial compression. Buckling and collapsing mechanisms of steel plates and stiffened panels are described. Analysis approaches for ultimate strength and their employments in ship designs are reviewed and discussed. A study and further validation on the authors developed formula for ultimate strength of stiffened panels using a comprehensive non-linear finite element analysis, 110 models in total, and a wide range of model test results, 70 models in total, are carried out. Finally, applications of the developed formula to existing oil tankers and bulk carriers are presented.