Case history fatigue cracking in casings for retractable fin stabilizers

摘要

In the first week of January 1993 a ferry vessel was docked and found to be leaking oil from its stabilizer fin shaft casings. The cracks were identified as fatigue cracks. In the weeks that followed sixteen other ships with the same stabilizer were found to have fatigue cracks in the fin shaft casings. This paper describes the detection, cause, and solution to the failure. Newport News' role was as a consultant assisting in diagnosis and repair. The optinions expressed herein are the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Newport News Shipbuilding.