Building Up the Knowledge of the Composite Structures in Naval Applications

The present work focusing in the naval perspective of the composite materials based on their mechanical properties, having as starting point their current industrial and consumer applications. Submarines, Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCVs), Corvettes and other stealth warships as well as Yachts, Passenger Ships and Fishing Boats are only a few examples of composites materials being used in the warfare and political shipbuilding industry respectively. Its growing use, in the modern shipbuilding industry, creates the need to understand the correlation between their manufacture procedures and their failure analysis. This experimental work verified how the hand lay-up method of making carbon fiber specimens influence their performance. Tensile experiments are performed and recorded in order to measure their mechanical properties. The result of this work is that valuable knowledge was acquired for the carbon fiber reinforced plastics which are constantly evolving in the construction of warships and submarines. Invaluable experience was gained from the practical construction of the composite materials with the same means. The importance of the experimental technical standards, the quality and the technique of construction is playing a critical role in the development of the optimal properties of composite materials. It was verified, as expected, that specific properties of such materials have advanced behavior which give them advantage for specific uses onboard. In this work three different types of carbon fiber weaves were used for the manufacture of the experimental specimens. These are having areal densities of 200 and 280 gr/m², and their warp and weft based on Carbon HS 3K 200 textile fibers. The Orthophthalic Polyester resin was used. Twelve (Six couple) of specimens were manufactured. The maximum tensile strength and the maximum elongation was measured 390.2 MPa and 1.15% respectively.