EN
The paper presents a discussion on the strength criteria and load cases required in therules of classification societies for direct FEM strength analysis of ship hull structures,which show some differences to each other. The conclusion of it is that detail studies onstress values in ship structures are necessary to improve the requirements. With this end inview an effective method for long-term prediction of stresses in ship hull structure princi-pal members is proposed. The method is based on the concept of influence coefficients andspectral analysis of wave loads. A FEM model of the principal member system in the formof 3D frame is applied to calculate values of the influence coefficients. Next, the concept is used of correla-tion factors for combining characteristic long-term stress values caused by global and local loads, withcombined stresses due to general bending of the ship, zone bending of the principal members and localbending of longitudinals. As an example, results of stress prediction and correlation factors calculated insome points of hull structure of a panamax bulk carrier are presented and discussed