If a ship is supported on the crest of a wave amidships, which type of stresses is the vessel subjected to?

When a ship is supported on the crest of a wave amidships, it experiences hogging stresses. Hogging occurs when the bow and stern of the ship are forced downward while the midship section rises. The ship's hull, experiencing this upward force at the center and greater downward forces at either end, results in tension at the deck (top) of the ship's hull and compression at the bottom (keel). These stresses can lead to potential structural issues if they exceed the vessel's design limits.

Understanding hogging and its effects is pivotal for maintaining the structural integrity of the ship. In contrast, sagging stresses would occur if the ship were supported by the trough of the wave, leading to the opposite stress distributions. Neutral stresses refer to areas in the ship where no tensile or compressive loading occurs, and shearing stresses relate to forces that cause sliding layers within the material rather than bending. Therefore, hogging is the appropriate term for the stress condition described in the scenario of the vessel being supported on the crest of a wave.