Assessment of Ship Hull Ultimate Strength under Fire Conditions: The Fire Smith Method Approach

This article presents the fire Smith method, which integrates the plate model and the Smith method, to analyze the impact of fire temperature and extent on the buckling strength of frigates. This investigation focused on the frigate’s buckling strength and how it is affected by a fire, achieved by modifying both deck temperature and area. Leveraging the principle of oxygen consumption, a coefficient “D” was introduced to account for fire temperature and region variations. This enabled the characterization of buckling strength under varying temperature and regional conditions through 64 simulations conducted on a frigate model. The outcomes revealed that the disparity between simulation results and the fire Smith method remained below 10%, establishing a solid basis for engineering assessment. As the high-temperature area decreased and necessitated less oxygen, the ultimate strength initiated a decline. However, upon reaching a certain threshold temperature, the ultimate strength stabilized. Conversely, expansive high-temperature zones caused a decline in ultimate strength, coupled with an increased oxygen requirement. Under consistent oxygen consumption conditions, the rate of ultimate strength reduction intensified. Consequently, these divergent characteristics of ultimate strength in various high-temperature areas underscored that minimizing the expansive fire high-temperature zones can significantly enhance the ship’s fire resistance, safeguarding its structural integrity.