The prime aim of the book is to present a comprehensive analysis of the buckling problem of ship structural members. In order to achieve this goal, a full analysis is given for the various types of loadings and stresses imposed on ship plating and primary and secondary structural members. These loadings and stresses result from the primary hull girder loading and stresses, the secondary loadings and stresses and the tertiary loadings and stresses. The main causes and consequences of the buckling mode of failure of ship structure and the methods commonly used to control buckling failure are clarified. The book, therefore, contains the main equations required to determine the critical buckling stresses for both ship plating and the primary and secondary stiffening structural members. The critical buckling stresses are given for ship plating subjected to the induced various types of loadings and having the most common boundary conditions encountered in ship structures. The book should bridge the gap existing in most books covering the subject of buckling of ship structures in the classical analytical format, by putting the emphasis on the practical methods required to ensure safety against buckling of ship structural members. The book should be very useful to ship designers, shipyard engineers, naval architects, international classification societies and also to students studying naval architecture, marine engineering and offshore structures.

The book should be also very useful to the practicing naval architects to quickly check the possibility of buckling of ship structure members without reverting to the complex and costly analysis using advanced FEM software.