SDC Verifier 4.0 introduces updated plate buckling pre-processing tool named Stiffened Panels Finder. As an addition to already known Panel Finder tool, stiffener and girder recognition is included in order to check all the panels on both plate, girder and stiffener buckling: In general, in the FEA models, stiffeners are modeled with beam elements and plates with shell elements. For each stiffener, SDC Verifier recognizes the (buckling) length, the effective width and the loads on the stiffened plate member.

1. SDC Verifier 4.0 preview: Recognition of girders, stiffeners & panels.
SDC Verifier 4.0 introduces updated plate buckling pre-processing tool named Stiffened Panels
Finder.
What are Panels, girders, stiffeners and plates
As an addition to already known Panel Finder tool, stiffener and girder recognition is included in
order to check all the panels on both plate, girder and stiffener buckling:
In general, in the FEA models, stiffeners are modeled with beam elements and plates with shell
elements. For each stiffener, SDC Verifier recognizes the (buckling) length, the effective width
and the loads on the stiffened plate member (which consists of both beam and plate elements
as shown in blue below).

2. With the recognitions tools, the plate stresses and forces and moments on each stiffener beam
are transferred into the loading situation on the full stiffened plate as shown in the definition
picture from the DNV RP 201 standard:
The recognition tools of SDC Verifier find all panels with girders, stiffened plates and plates on
any model no matter the mesh size.
Plate Finder recognition
The results of the original plate finder on all sections of a ship are shown below. Every plate is
shown in a different color.

3. stiffeners and girders recognition of all ship sections
With version 4.0 also stiffeners and girders can be recognized:

4. If we zoom in to a single section we can see in the figure below Panels, simple stiffeners
(marked in blue) and girders or stiffeners which support also other stiffeners (marked in red).
Stiffeners with stiffener length shown

5. The engineer can check the buckling strength of plated structures by using the linear load
combination results of any FEA model. Because of the unique recognition features of SDC
Verifier this checking is not limited by meshing rules or special modeling techniques.
SDC Verifier enables the user to check the complete FEA model automatically according to
standards. Exporting FEA results to complex and time consuming spreadsheet for post-processing
is not necessary anymore!
In next preview, the checking of the stiffener or the stiffened plate According to the DNV standard
(DNV–RP-C201) will be explained.