Adding armor or equipment is not simply a matter of finding nominal displacement. New loads alter stresses and stability, and internal changes may require extensive structural work before the ship can safely carry them. Dense battleship framing offers more attachment points and resistance to deformation than the larger internal cells of a cruiser-derived hull. These constraints can make an apparently straightforward reconstruction nearly as disruptive as building anew.
Chapter · 2:21:21-2:28:05
Reconstruction cannot ignore hull structure
Major refits remain constrained by framing, weight distribution, machinery spaces, and the original hull's ability to absorb new loads.