Numerical study on the permissible gap of intermittent fillet welds of longitudinally stiffened plates under in plane axial compression

Intermittent fillet welding of stiffeners to plates and its influence on the collapse behaviour of stiffened plates is investigated applying the finite element method. Special attention is paid to the modelling of the fillet welds at the plate-to-stiffener junction. Some available experimental results are simulated in order to obtain reliable numerical results. A series of numerical analyses of stiffened steel plates subjected to an in plane axial compressive load has been performed. Stiffened plates are selected from the deck structure of real sea-going ships and inland waterway vessels. Complete equilibrium paths are traced up to collapse for the non-linear elastoplastic response of stiffened plates. Finally a proposal is presented for the permissible gap of welds in intermittent fillet welding of stiffened plates.