The Breakup of Titanic

Discovery and Initial Analysis

• The Titanic wreck was discovered in 1985, confirming the ship broke near the surface.
• Recent evidence and analysis indicate the initial hull failure was at or near the double bottom, suggesting the ship broke bottom-up.

Engineering Analysis

• The 2005 expedition’s photographs of Titanic’s bottom pieces led to a re-evaluation of the breakup.
• Revised shear and bending moment diagrams were developed, showing maximum bending moments inside Boiler Room #2.
• The ship’s bottom structure, including the keel and longitudinal girders, was analyzed for stress and failure points.

Failure Points and Mechanisms

• The analysis identified potential failure points at the keel transition, manholes aft of Frame 22, and the endings of extra longitudinal girders at Frame 29.
• The most likely initial failure point was at the keel transition at Frame 25.
• The failure likely propagated across the ship’s breadth and upward, with the uppermost strength decks and side shell plates being the last to fail.

Sequence of Breakup

• The ship was in a severe flooding condition, producing compressive loads in the bottom structure and tensile loads in the upper decks.
• The initial failure in the bottom structure led to a progressive failure upward, forming a structural hinge near the aft expansion joint.
• The bow section continued to flood, pulling the forward end of the stern section down, reversing the bending moment and leading to the final separation of the bow and stern sections.

Survivor Testimonies

• Survivor accounts were reconciled with the reconstruction, considering their vantage points.
• Testimonies described the ship breaking up on the surface, with the stern righting itself briefly before sinking.

Physical Evidence

• The condition of the wreck supports the bottom-up failure theory.
• The bow section shows bends and tears consistent with the proposed failure sequence.
• The stern section is heavily damaged, with identifiable features indicating implosions and structural failures.

Previous Theories and Expansion Joints:

• Previous theories suggested a top-down break at the aft expansion joint, but this is inconsistent with the wreck’s condition.
• The expansion joints allowed the ship to flex, with the keel providing the initial failure points.

Future Directions:

• Further analysis is needed to determine the exact initial failure point and stress levels.
• The maximum angle of the stern before sinking and the failure mechanism of the “Big Piece” remain to be studied.