Nonlinear Distribution of Bending Stresses Due to Distortion of the Cross Section

A theory is presented to explain the nonlinear distribution of bending stresses found in recent tests on a passenger ship with long superstructure and in model tests. The hull and the superstructure are considered as separate beams which are forced to act together by shearing forces and by vertical forces resisting relative displacements of the two beams. The case of constant cross section of the beams is treated, and solutions in qualitative agreement with the tests are obtained for two types of loading.