SHIP STRUCTURE-AFT END

STRUCTURE.
 contents
• Stern construction.
• Stern frame.
• Rudders.
• Steering gear.
• Stern tube.
• Shaft bossing and A bracket.
• Propeller
• Aft peak tank
• Aft collision bulkhead.
 Operational purpose of stern part of
ship
• To deliver streamlined flow to propeller.
• To mount propeller, stern tube and shafting arrangement.
• To mount rudder and steering compartment.
• To provide watertight integrity in case of aft collision. And withstand
slamming loads when aft goes out of water and falls back.
• Other include trim stability…etc.
 Types of stern
• Two types of stern are cruiser and transom stern. The cruiser stern was for
many years the favored stern type for ocean going ships, but recent
vessels have transom stern.
• The cruiser stern presents a more pleasant profile and is hydrodynamically
efficient, but the transom stern offers a greater deck area aft, is a simple
construction, and can also provide improved flow around the stern.
• It is interesting to note that Queen Mary 2 has upper part as cruiser stern
form for good sea keeping and bottom part as transom stern for better
inflow to propeller.
 Stern construction:
• As cruiser stern overhangs, adequate stiffening is required against large
slamming forces.
• Solid floors are fitted at every frame space and a heavy centerline girder is
fitted right aft at the shell and decks. The stern plating is fitted with cant
beams or webs.
• The cant beams supporting the decks and led to the adjacent heavy
transverse deck beam. Further stiffening of plate is provided or adopted in
lieu of cant frames, by horizontal stringers extending to first transverse
frame.
• Cant frames are not required where the transom stern is adopted as the
flat stern plating may be stiffened with vertical stiffeners. Deep floors and
centerline girders are provided at lower region of transom stern
construction.
 Stern frame
• The form of stern frame is influenced by stern profile and rudder type.
• To prevent serious vibration at the after end there must adequate
clearances between propeller tip and stern frame, which increases its size.
• The stern frame of ship is usually cast, forged or fabricated from steel
plate and sections. Casting may be done by specialist subcontractor
outside shipyard and to ease transport problem, it may be casted in more
than one piece and then welded together. Fabricated sections are made
from plates and bars in shipyard itself to produce a form similar to casting.
• Sternpost sections will be of streamline form, in order to prevent eddies
being formed behind the post.
• The stern frame is connected to the hull structure and revolving propeller
supported by the stern frame. The rudder post is carried up into the main
hull and connected to the transom floor, which as increased plate
thickness.
• The propeller post is extended into the hull and connected to a deep floor,
the lower sole piece being carried forward and connected to keel plate.
RUDDERS AND STEERING GEAR.
 Rudders
• Rudder are used to maneuver the ship in ocean waters. Rudders create a
turning moment on ship C.G by creating a transverse force on its pressure
face as rudder creates angle of attack into the flow behind the propeller
producing Lift force. The rudder can be rotated up to 35 degree using main
steering gear and 15 degree using auxiliary steering gear to both star and
port sides.
• Rudder is similar to aircraft wing in structure and construction too. Rudder
is made up of top and bottom plates joined together to get symmetrical
aero foil sections. Internal structures include spars( transverse) and
frames( longitudinal).
• There are various types of rudders based on shape, position of rudder
post. etc. like fully balanced, semi balanced, unbalanced, twisted rudder.
• Rudders are fabricated from steel plates, the plate sides being stiffened by
internal webs. One side plate is prepared and the vertical and horizontal
stiffening webs are welded to this plate. The other plate often called as
closing plate is then welded to this plate. This may be achieved by welding
flat bars to the webs prior to fitting the closing plate, then slot welding the
plate .
• Minor features of rudders are provision of drain hole at bottom and lifting
hole( short tube welded through rudder with doubling at side and closing
plates). To prevent internal corrosion, the internal surface is suitably
coated, in some cases rudder is filled with plastic foam.
• Rudder is tested when complete under a head of water 2.45 m above the
top of rudder.
 Rudder pintles.
• Rudder pintles on which rudder turns in gudgeon have a bearing length
that exceeds the diameter.
• Older ships use may have brass liner shrunk on the pintles, which turn in
hardwood bearings fitted in the gudgeons. Modern ships use synthetic or
composite for bearings, and in some cases stainless steel for liners.
Lubrication is provided by oil or sea water.
 Rudder stock
• Rudder stock may be cast or forged steel, and its meter is determined in
accordance with the torque and any bending moment it is to withstand.
• It is connected to rudder by coupling, with cross sectional adequate to
withstand torque produced while turning. This coupling helps rudder to
be lifted for inspection.
• The weight of the rudder may be carried partly by lower pintle and partly
by rudder bearer within the hull. In spade type it is fully borne by bearers.
In rudders with lower pintle weight may onto into the bearer and bearers
have cast iron cones that limit their wear down.
• Rudder stocks are carried in the rudder trunk, which is made watertight at
upper end. Trunk is kept reasonably short so that the stock has a minimum
unsupported length and constructed of plates welded in box form with
transom floor forming its forward end.