Recent Advances and Future Trends on Design and Strength Assessment of Ships and Offshore Structures

Ships and offshore structures are subjected to various ocean environmental phenomena which can cause highly nonlinear action effects. In this case, the limit states-based approach is a much better basis for strength assessment and design than the traditional allowable-working stress-based approach, because it is not possible to determine the true margin of structural safety as long as the limit states remain unknown. To determine the limit states, the use of nonlinear structural mechanics and analysis is essential. The limit states-based methods together with nonlinear structural mechanics and analysis are a key for consequence analysis that is required for risk assessment and management. The present paper addresses recent advances and possible future trends of core technologies that are required for design and strength assessment of ships and offshore structures in association with nonlinear structural mechanics and limit states.