Hull girder ultimate strength assessment based on experimental results and the dimensional theory

• A hull girder ultimate strength verification is made based on experimental results and the dimensional theory.
• The result of the ultimate strength test of three box girders, is used to evaluate the ultimate strength.
• The analysis maintains the first-order similarity between the model and real structures.

The objective of this work is to perform a hull girder ultimate strength verification according to the Class Society rules based on experimental results and the dimensional theory. The results of the ultimate strength test of three box girders, that may represent the behaviour of a mid-ship section of a ship, deteriorated in a real corrosive seawater environment representing different levels of corrosion degradation of ageing ship structures, is used to evaluate the ultimate strength. The analysis is based on a structural model, used in the experimental test, which maintains the first-order similarity between the model and real structures. The present analysis may be used to validate the global ultimate strength of ship hull structures in the phase of the new structural design or during the service life and to calibrate the new developed codes.