Fatigue strength analysis of the new vehicle hold in PCTC ships

Abstract Nowadays, PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) occupies an increasingly important position in the shipping market, and their research and development design also needs to be given more attention. Taking a 7,000-car PCTC as the research object, this study proposes an optimized novel partial bulkhead alternative design to address deficiencies in traditional partial bulkhead structures. By DNV (Det Norske Veritas) regulations, a fatigue strength assessment was conducted on critical joints of the PCTC vessel after implementing the new partial bulkhead design. The results indicate that all selected fatigue hotspots meet the 20-year fatigue design criteria, demonstrating the feasibility of the alternative bulkhead design and providing valuable references for similar vessel designs.