This guide provides a recommended list of selected ship structure details for use in ship construction. Structural details which have failed in service and are not recommended for use in ship construction are included as well. This guide is intended to convey the lessons learned on different configurations of ship structure details, not the dimensions, thickness, or construction methods which would result from structural calculations. Details are shown for the ten families of structural details, which are: beam brackets, clearance cut-outs, gunwale connections, miscellaneous cut-outs, non-tight collars, panel stiffeners, stanchion ends, stiffener ends, tight collars, and tripping brackets. Evaluation of details is based on in-service experience as described in "Design Guide for Structural Details". Data for over 400 details is summarized and rated by observed relative successful performance. Each of the ten families of details includes configurations with no signs of failures. The details without failures within each family group are shown in descending order of numbers observed. Those details with failures are shown in ascending order of failures (percentages are indicated for each). Thus the first detail shown in each family group has the best observed service performance and is most highly recommended while the last has the highest failure rate and therefore least desirable. The details provide guidance in the selection of structural detail configurations in future design and repair of such details.

1.1 This guide provides a recommended list of selected ship structure details for use in ship construction.

1.2 Structural details which have failed in service and are not recommended for use in ship construction are included as well.

1.3 This guide is intended to convey the lessons learned on different configurations of ship structure details, not the dimensions, thickness, or construction methods which would result from structural calculations.