Question 8 3AE02 - Third Assistant Engineer (Alt)

The Correct Answer is C **Explanation for Option C (Pillars):** A **pillar** (often called a stanchion in naval architecture) is a vertical structural member designed specifically to carry compressive loads. Its primary function is to transfer the weight and forces acting on an upper deck down to a lower deck, and ultimately to the ship's bottom structure (the double bottom or keel), thus supporting the decks and maintaining the hull's overall shape and strength. **Explanation of Incorrect Options:** * **A) Girders:** Girders are heavy, principal **horizontal** structural members (longitudinal or transverse) that provide support for beams and transfer loads to bulkheads or pillars. They run across the deck plane, not between decks. * **B) Stiffeners:** Stiffeners are secondary structural members, typically angle bars or flat bars, welded to plating (like deck plating or bulkheads) to prevent buckling and improve local rigidity. They reinforce the structure but are not the primary members designed to transfer deck-to-deck loads vertically. * **D) Beams:** Beams are **horizontal** structural members that run transversely beneath a deck or hatch cover, supporting the deck plating and transferring their loads primarily to the side shell frames or longitudinal girders. They are load-carrying members within the plane of the deck, not vertical connectors between decks.