Structural reliability assessment of corroded tanker ship based on experimentally estimated ultimate strength

This work deals with the reliability assessment of a tanker ship hull structure subjected to a vertical bending moment and corrosion degradation. The progressive collapse and ultimate load carrying capacity are estimated based on experimentally tested scaled box-shaped-specimens. The translation of the strength estimate of the scaled specimen to the real tanker ship hull structure is performed based on the dimensional theory developing a step-wise linear stressstrain relationship. The load-carrying capacity is considered as a stochastic variable, and the uncertainties resulted from the scaled-specimen to the real-structure strength translation, and the subjected load of the real ship are also accounted for. A sensitivity analysis concerning the stochastic variables, included in the ultimate limit state function is performed. The partial safety factors, in the case of a scaled specimen and real structure, are also identified, and conclusions are derived.