Optimum design of welded stiffened plates loaded by hydrostatic normal pressure

Abstract.

The optimal positions of horizontal stiffeners are computed considering the condition that the base plate parts, having equal thicknesses and loaded by bending moments, should be stressed to yield strength. The trapezoidal stiffeners are designed for bending using the stress and local buckling constraints. The optimal number of stiffeners is determined on the basis of material and fabrication cost calculations. It is shown by a numerical example that the nonequidistant stiffener arrangement gives 22% weight and 16–18% cost savings.