stress crack photos

[Randy S]

I believe that it was during the winter of '76-77 that the John G Munson had crack arrestors installed. These were strips about 1 inch wide cut out of her spar deck, on both sides of the hatches. The cuts run pretty much the length of the deck and have plates (about 7/8 in thick X 12(?) inches wide) riveted down over the cuts. It took about a week of carefully loading stone to get the boat perfectly level, and about another week to make the cuts. Then came the process that seemed to be never ending - drilling thousands of holes in the deck to accept the rivets. All phases of the work were performed during "Winter Work" in the Frog Pond at Calcite, under the constant inspection of ABS and USGC.

[MN Boater]

I seem to remember something about the Kaiser Liberty ships developing a crack about midships. The repair was to add a length of plate in hopes it would hold the ship together at midships.

You are correct Ed. Once the plates were added, they never had another Kaiser ship develop cracks.

[John Dunlap]

in November 1942 Enders M. Voorhees sustained a hull crack whereby she was required to have a 27" wide strap added over the length of her holds, port and starboard. It may have been required on the other Supers but I haven't come across any reference. In fall 1943, Robert C. Stanley and George A. Sloan experienced serious hull cracking. The Coast Guard required all 16 Maritime boats to have their hulls strapped. Irving S. Olds had an 8' crack across her deck and 8" down one side in April 1963. No info on repairs.

[pcolachap]

Hello Hugh, if memory serves me correctly I believe it was the Enderess M Vorrhes that had the problem very shortly after she entered service. It was a crack down the center of the deck. Cables were rigged from side to side until she reached a safe destination. Mike

[hayhugh2]

If I remember correctly, USS had to add a strap around the hulls of the "Suppers" when they came out in the 40s due to stress cracks.

[ed mertz]

I seem to remember something about the Kaiser Liberty ships developing a crack about midships. The repair was to add a length of plate in hopes it would hold the ship together at midships.

[Ray]

Although not on the great lakes, probably the most famous example is the T2 tanker Schenectady in 1943 out in Portland, OR. A picture of the ship post-fracture is on the wikipedia page:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Schenectady

[Guest]

Beechglen was repaired

[Pete in Holland MI]

What happened to the Beechglen after this incident? Repaired ? Scrapped ?

Pete

[Guest]

These photos are all of stress fractures. These are extreme examples. It is much more common to see a stress crack in steel. A stress crack is just what they sounds like, a crack. I don't have any photos avalible but plastic is an easy way to demonstrate a stress crack. I have text books on steel making & shipbuliding that have images of different types of steel defects but I don't have permission to reproduce any of the images.

[Steve G]

Check the fleet photo gallery under Algoma Central and go down to the Algowood, she suffered stress cracking while being loaded. There are several very good photos (inside & outside) of the hull posted there.

[Guest]

This is perfect! Thank you very much!

[fireman12]

Here`s a well known example of a hull stress fracture that occurred on the S.S. Beechglen in 1991 while unloading in Cardinal , ON . A mixup in unloading / ballasting operations led to too much weight at both ends of the ship . The resultant hogging and bending stresses were too much , and she broke her back or keel . I hope this helps your presentation .

[Guest]

Hi folks.
I am doing a presentation in a friend's class soon and I am in need of some photographic help. Does anyone have a photo of a crack in a Great Lakes vessel's hull? I will need to explain what a stress fracture is and a photo would really help.

TIA