APPROPRIATE SAFETY FACTORS FOR SHIPS UNDER ABNORMAL WAVE CONDITIONS

摘要

The safety factors and reliability levels implicit in ship structures are compared with those of offshore structures and societal expectations respectively. Ship structures are found wanting in both respects. An increase in the design return period for ships is proposed. This has the result of narrowing the gap in respect of safety factors applicable to structures exposed to extreme storm conditions at sea and goes some way to realising reliability levels consistent with societal expectations. The potential cost to ship owners is not such that the proposed increase can be readily rejected on economic grounds.