Abstract
The effects of temperature on the structural behavior of polar class vessels have been experimentally and numerically investigated. Experiments were carried out on single frame structures made of steel material, DH36, which is used for outer shell of the vessels making transit through the polar region. A knife edge type striker was dropped down onto single frame structures. The temperatures of the single frames were set to $-30^{\circ}C$, $-50^{\circ}C$ and room temperature. The deflection around the mid-point of the single frame was measured and numerically simulated using finite element model. Strain rate effect on the structural behavior has been investigated and turned out that the strain rate effect can be neglected. From the results of the experiment and numerical analyses, it has been noticed that the permanent deflection at lower temperature was reduced due to a temperature hardening of material as expected.