First off, many tanks do not require annular bottom plates, if so, the table is not applicable.
Secondly, where annular rings are required, the thickness may be controlled by requirements of Annex E, Annex M, etc.
The "b" in "stress-b" is referring to the footnote "b" below.
I believe "t" is used for the actual as-built thickness, "corroded t" is that thickness minus corrosion allowance.
And t-d is the required thickness for product, t-t is the required thickness for hydrotest.
If the plate is ordered to exact required thickness, t and t-d would be the same.
Example: You calculate required thickness including CA as 0.95" including 0.06" CA, and calculate hydrotest thickness as 0.82".
Due to material availability, you actually use 1.00" plate.
Then nominal t = 1.00, corroded t = 1.00 -0.06 = 0.94", td=0.95", tt=0.82".
Product stress = (0.95-0.06)/0.94 x Sd, Hydrostatic stress = 0.82/1.00 x St, where Sd and St are the allowable stresses used to calculate shell thickness in the first place.
Then "Stress in first shell course" is the greater of those two quantities.