Strength of steel plates with both-sides randomly distributed with corrosion wastage under uniaxial compression

This paper presents the results of an investigation into the behaviour and ultimate strength characteristics of imperfect steel plates used in ships and other related marine structures. The analysed plates are suffering from general corrosion on their both surfaces and subjected to uniaxial in-plane compression. A series of elastic and elastic–plastic large deflection finite element analyses is performed on the both-sides randomly corroded steel plates. The effects of general corrosion are introduced into the finite element models using a specially developed random thickness surface model. The effects of random thickness reduction on the plate strength characteristics as a result of systematic variation of the involved parameters are evaluated.