Ship Construction

Framing Systems
Double Bottom Construction
Stem & Stern Construction
 Many, closely-
Transverse Framing: spaced Frames
 Deck Beams tie
upper ends of
frames
 Fewer, deeper &
more widely
spaced
Longitudinals …
 Support Inner
Bottom & give
longitudinal
strength
 Longitudinals
supporting Decks are called
(Deck) Girders
 Additional Decks (supported by
Beams & Girders) increase
Transverse & Longitudinal strength
 Transverse Bulkheads provide watertight boundaries, contribute significantly to
transverse strength, and provide vertical support for Decks
 Many, closely-
Transverse Framing: spaced Frames
 Advantages
 Open, nearly rectangular interior space
 Ideal for stowing large, irregular, break-bulk
items, or
 Vehicles (Ro-Ro’s)
 Disadvantages
 Vertical support for decks requires more
closely spaced transverse bulkheads (hence
smaller compartments) or
 Pillars (stanchions) or
 Longitudinal bulkheads
 Deep (Web)
Longitudinal Framing: Transverse Frames

 Few & widely

spaced
 Smaller,
closely-
spaced
Longitud-
nals support
shell plating
 Side shell
longitudinals
call stringers
 Inner Bottom gives
additional longitudinal &
transverse strength
 Girders in high-stress areas:
Double bottom spaces and …
 Under main deck
 Deep (Web)
Longitudinal Framing: Transverse Frames

 Advantages
 Widely spaced transverse bulkheads allow for
large (i.e., long) continuous cargo spaces
(“tanks”)
 Ideal for stowing liquids (reduced free surface
effects)
 Disadvantages
 No large, open interior spaces
 Difficult to load or unload break-bulk items
 Difficult to stow large, irregular shaped items
 Framing Systems:
 Typically, most ships have some combination
of transverse & longitudinal framing
L L L L L L L L L L

TTTTT
Bulkhead STIFFENERS
UPPER TWEEN DECK

LOWER TWEEN DECK

TTTTTTTTTTTT
Stringer

(LOWER) HOLD
Web Frame
Typical
Transverse
Frames
SECTION
FLOOR
VIEW
CL PLAN VIEW
CL
Double Bottom details:
Rider Inner Bottom Air- Margin
Plate (Tank Top) hole Plate

Frame

Bilge
Bilge
Center Limber Longitudinal well
Vertical Keel hole
“SOLID” FLOOR
Keel Outer Lightening
Plate Bottom hole

Reverse Frame “OPEN” FLOOR

Frame Longitudinal Strut

Shell Plating details:
 (Longitudinal) Rows of plating are called “strakes”
 The Keel Plates form the “Keel strake”
 The strakes outboard (P&S) of the Keel are the “A” Strakes
or “Garboard Strakes”
 Strakes are consecutively lettered moving outboard and up
the side shell
“G”
Strake

“F” Strake
(Bilge Strake)
“B” “C” “D” “E”
Strake Strake Strake Strake
Keel Garboard Strake
Strake (“A” strake)
 Shell Plating details:
 (Longitudinal) Rows of plating are called “strakes”
 Welded horizontal joints between strakes are called seams
 Welded vertical joints between plates in a given strake are
called butts
 Strakes that do not run the entire ship length (as the hull
surface area decreases at the ends) are drop strakes
“K” Strake Sheer Strake
“J” Strake Through 

“H” Strake drop 

“G” Strake
Bilge (“F”) Strake

 Strakes running stem to stern are called through strakes

 An oversized plate merging a drop & through strake is a
stealer plate
 The strake at the deck edge is the sheer strake and is
heavier than typical side shell plating
 Openings in shell plating must:
*have rounded corners
*be reinforced to make up for missing material
… and on weather deck -- COAMINGS

portholes

Hatch openings
below decks
Watertight doors
 Stem Construction
Forward Wrapper
Collision Plate Stem
Wrapper Bulkhead
Decks
Plate Stem

Stringers

Vertical
Stem Post

Rider Plate Breast

Hooks
Deep C.V. Keel
Floors
Keel Plate
 Stern Construction
Stern After
Collision Stern
Frame
Bulkhead Frame
Deck
Steering Gear Room Mach’y Cant
Rm Frames

Rope Lug
Locker
Rudder
Stock
After Stern
Peak Tube
Pintle
Tank Gudgeon

Rudder
Post UNBALANCED
Propeller RUDDER
Post SEMI-BALANCED RUDDER