DECKS , HATCHES &

SUPERSTRUCTURES
SHELL EXPANSION PLAN
PILLARS
SIDE FRAMES
 DECKS
• Decks – Decks are similar to the different
floors in a multistoried building.
• In a ship Decks perform various functions like
a Strength deck , Weather Deck , Freeboard
Deck or a Passenger Accommodation deck.
• Strength Deck- The deck which forms the
flange of the hull girder is called the Strength
Deck, although all the decks lend strength to
the ship structure.
 Decks …..
• Freeboard Deck- is the uppermost weather tight
deck which has permanent means of closing all
it’s openings in the exposed portions of the deck.
• Tween Decks- Cargo decks in Bulk Carriers and
Cargo ships. These deck is under the Main deck
and non weather tight.
• Passenger Decks- in Passenger ships all the
accommodation decks above the main/upper
deck are fitted with weather tight closures e.g.
Weather tight doors, Weather tight hatch covers.
 Other Decks
• Poop Deck: It’s a raised deck in the aft end of
the ship above the upper most deck . On this
is situated the winch cum windlass for the Aft
anchor.
• Fore castle deck: It’s a raised deck above the
main deck in the fore end of the ship . On this
is fitted the Windlass cum winch of the ship
for the forward anchors.
 Deck Plating
Deck plating is subjected to the longitudinal bending stress in
the same manner as the side shell.
The uppermost continuous deck is most stressed as it is the
upper extreme end of the hull structure . That’s why the deck
plating is also thickest in the parallel middle body zone .It
reduces at the forward and aft end thereafter. As the tanker’s
upper deck is continuous without any opening the deck
plating is uniform throughout the breadth of the deck.
For the other type of ships with hatch opening , due to the
compensation , deck plating is high from hatch opening to the
side .
In general bigger the size of the ship higher will be the deck
plating thickness. Minimum deck plate thickness is 12 mm.
The outermost deck plate strake which is welded to the sheer
strake plate is known as ‘ Deck Stringer’.
Types of Deck construction
 Hatches
• Hatches are the deck openings for the loading
and unloading/discharging of the cargo from
the Cargo / Bulk Carrier’s holds.
• Hatches on the exposed deck i.e. Upper/Main
deck are made weather tight by Weather
tight hatch cover.
TYPES OF HATCH COVERS
 WEATHERTIGHT DOOR
• Weather tight Door- These doors are fitted on
freeboard deck and all other decks above to
protect the accommodation from external
weather.
• There are gaskets fitted all along the side to make
it weather tight.
• These doors can be accessed from both sides
with clips having handles on both the sides.
• These doors opens on outside for easy stowage
and better safe operation.
 BULWARK
• Bulwarks
• Bulwarks fitted on weather decks are provided as
protection for personnel and are not intended as
a major structural feature. They are therefore of
light scantlings, and their connections to the
adjacent structures are of some importance if
high stresses in the bulwarks are to be avoided.
Freeing ports are cut in bulwarks forming wells
on decks in order that water may quickly drain
away. The required area of freeing ports is in
accordance with the Load Line Rules 1968.
 CONSTRUCTION OF BULWARKS
Bulwarks should be at least 1m high on the exposed
freeboard and superstructure decks, but a reduced
height may be permitted if this interferes with the
working of the ship. The bulwark consists of a vertical
plate stiffened at its top by a strong rail section (often
bulb angle or plate) and is supported by stays from the
deck (Figure 19.7).
On the forecastle of ships assigned B-100 and B-60
freeboards the stays are more closely spaced. Where
the bulwark is cut for any reason, the corners are well
rounded and compensation is also provided. No
openings are permitted in bulwarks near the ends of
the superstructures.
SIDE SHELL
 Bottom Plate & Side Shell
• As has been seen in the double bottom structure ,the round of bilges meets the side
shell plate.
• Thus the bottom plate(including the keel plate) and the side shell plate form the major
part of the ship’s structure which withstands the longitudinal bending stress , vertical
sheer stress and docking stress
• As the keel plate and the bottom shell is furthest from the neutral axis of the ship(cg)
the magnitude of the stress is maximum there.
• Due to this reason the keel plate thickness is highest and bottom plating is just next in
thickness.
At the round of Bilge plating thickness reduces and remains constant throughout the shell
plating
Shell plating for small and medium sized ship is 12 mm minimum and rises with the size of
the ship.
The uppermost line of plating(strake) of side shell strake is known as ‘Sheer strake’.

As the sheer stress is maximum at the sheer strake, it is thicker than the plates of lower
strakes.
• As the bending moment is highest over the parallel middle body , shell plating thickness
is maintained high and it reduces forward and aft .
• As the local Pounding stress is high in the forward zone of the bottom plating , the
same is increased to withstand it.REF:Shell Expansion plan of JAG AMEESHA
• With the side frames and floors fitted together the entire bottom structure and side
shell is strong enough to withstand the water pressure , static and dynamic stresses
exerted by water and also docking stress exerted in the Dry dock.
 Shell plating
• The side shell along with the side frames act as Pillars to transmit
the vertical load down from the deck to the keel plate .
• Side frames also resists the shell plating to deform under water
pressure.
• Similarly floors resist the bottom plate from deformations caused
by global and local stresses.
• Keel plate , bottom plate and shell plating thickness is calculated
by using scantling calculation from the Classification Society (e.g.
ABS,LRS, BV, DNV, IRS) rule book
• These rule books provide scantlings of all structures i.e. thickness
of all the bottom plating, side shell plating , deck plating,
bulkheads , bulbous bow, tank top and specification of angles.
• Thus in short it (scantlings)depends on main particulars of the ship
and also on the duties it is meant for.
• Thus bigger the size of the ship and nature of duty, higher will be
the scantlings for all structures.
 Side frames
• Shell side frames are fitted on the side shell plates
inside.
• These extend from tank top to the under deck.
• For cargo ship where there is a Tween deck frames
are fitted from tank top to Tween deck and from
tween deck to upper deck.
• In above case the scantling of hold frames , in the
main hold is heavier than that at the tween hold.
• Frames are spaced at a distance called frame
spacing.
 Types of frames
• There are two types of frames viz.
• i) Ordinary frames- These are rolled sections of standard scantling
e.g. 100x100x10 O.A. means Web=100 mm Flange= 100 mm &
thk=10 mm. These sections are available off the shelf and are
output of steel rolling mills.
• There are two types of ordinary angles a) Equal angle- when
web=flange i.e. say 100x100x10 or 75x75x8 are such equal angle.
b) Unequal angle- Web and flange are not same e.g. 100x75x10
O.A.
• ii) Fabricated sections- are manufactured in the shipyard as per the
production drawings, as per the scantling. Longitudinal Deck
Girder, Hatch side girder , Deck Transverse-all under deck , Bottom
continuous center girder, side girder- all on the bottom shell ,
Fabricated frames both transverse and longitudinal , Stringers,
Transverse web frames – all fitted on the side shell are such
fabricated sections (ref JAG AMEESHA Shell Expansion)
 Shell Expansion Plan
• A shell expansion plan shows shell plating grade and thickness of both the
bottom plating and side shell plating.
• Keel plate thickness is maximum.
• Thickness of bottom plating is less than the keel plate thickness but it is
high compared to higher up strakes and remains high for the parallel
middle body as bending stress is high there.
• Side shell thickness reduces as depth reduces and again around the sheer
strake it increases as sheer stress is high at that level.
• Shell expansion plan shows all the shell side frames(vertical) at frames
with scantlings.
• It also provides the shell side stringers running along the length of the ship
with scantlings.
• The Seams and Butts are shown at the positions. Details of welding is also
shown.
• It shows the Transverse Bulkheads position(frame wise)
•
 USE OF SHELL EXPANSION PLAN
• A shell expansion plan is vertical expansion of the bottom and side shell plate and
all structures fitted to it on the vertical (xz) plan.
• Thus the total expanded shell area of starboard side is available from this drawing.
• As these strakes are of different thickness, total area of a particular thickness can
be calculated by dividing the area with the standard size of a plate i.e
10000x2500.Thus total requirement of shell plate is found out by the
Drawing/Design office from this drawing.
• Similarly total running length of all the frames, stringers, longitudinals fitted to the
side shell can be found out.
• Shell plate thickness and Grade of steel, at each and every strake is available.
• In future when a ship is laid off for various surveys especially the 5 yearly Dry
Docking survey, then to ascertain the erosion of shell plates compared to the
original thickness, this drawing is used so that the original grade and scantling can
be ascertained.
• After ascertaining the original size and scantling plates and sections can be
replaced and renewed when being repaired.
• In longitudinally framed ship( as in JAG AMEESHA) all the longitudinal frames are
shown throughout the bottom shell and side shell , with their respective scantlings
 PILLARS
• Pillars distribute the vertical load from top of the decks to
the bottom of the keel plate.
• Therefore pillars are under compressive load.
• Thus the section of the pillars are to be designed for the
compressive load and length of the pillar has to be checked
for buckling .
• Pillars are commonly of hollow tubular section fabricated
by welding two semicircular sections.
• There are also of hollow square section, octagonal section
and channel section pillars.
• For small vessels and accommodation spaces solid pillars of
lesser scantling is used.
• Pillars are found in all conventional Merchant ships except
Tankers.
• In all the cases the scantling of these pillars are to be
designed as per the Classification Society rules.
Solid Pillars
Pillar sections
Pillars end connections