Fatigue assessment and fracture mechanics

On ships and maritime structures, thousands of structural details are vulnerable to crack growth. These high-risk details must be identified and countermeasures taken so that reliable and safe operation is ensured.

Our assessment concepts are as simple as possible, but as sophisticated as necessary. More importantly, we have the experience to decide on the appropriate degree of detail for your specific challenge.

A realistic load spectrum – cyclic loads, stress levels, welding methods, surface roughness, etc. – is a key factor for an accurate estimate of the expected or residual fatigue life of any vessel.  Thus we collaborate intensively with our experts in deterministic and stochastic wave load analysis, structural dynamics, in-situ stress monitoring and non-destructive testing (NDT).

Our customers are permanently improving their products by introducing new materials and joining technologies. Likewise, we cooperate with external partners such as steel mills and test laboratories. Therefore, we are able to continuously keep our knowledge on material properties and welding techniques up to date.

DNV GL is your partner for state-of-the-art fatigue assessment and fracture mechanics methods:

• Increased reliability, reduced downtime and repair costs
• Know-how on state-of-the-art materials and joining technologies for reliable results
• Lower survey costs thanks to risk-based inspection (RBI) strategies
• Effective troubleshooting by combining theoretical analyses, in-situ measurements and the proposal of practical countermeasures
• Quick access to our material testing facilities for faster results
• Design verifications and expert estimates by one of the world’s leading service providers
• Tailor-made for all kinds of ships, fixed and floating structures, customised to your operational needs and time constraints