🔍 Key Concepts

• Stress concentration at the end of a crack in shell plating • How holes, notches, or welds affect the spread of a crack in metal • Temporary vs permanent repairs to hull plating damage

💭 Think About

• Which option best reduces the sharp stress concentration at the crack tip so the crack is less likely to grow? • Does adding more welds or sharp corners usually increase or decrease the chance of a crack spreading? • Think about what shape (square, bracket, or round) best distributes stress in a metal plate under load.

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify which choice removes or blunts the sharp crack tip rather than extending it or adding more sharp corners • Check which method is commonly used as a temporary crack arrestor in steel structures and ship hulls • Eliminate any options that introduce additional sharp corners or high-stress areas instead of smoothing them out