The National Shipbuilding Research Program, 1991 Ship Production Symposium Proceedings: Paper No. IIIB-1: Composite Materials and Naval Surface Combatants: The Integrated Technology Deckhouse Project
Abstract
Composite materials, particularly fiberglass, have created a revolution in commercial marine design and construction over the past 20-30 years. The U.S. Navy, however, has been slow in recognizing the value of composite materials and implementing their use. The current construction of a fiberglass minesweeper will introduce composites into the auxiliary Navy, but major surface combatants have yet to take advantage of their unique material properties. The Integrated Technology Deckhouse (ITD) Project has been steadily progressing toward the goal of constructing Naval combatant deckhouses out of an integrated system of steel and composites. The approach of the ITD Project has resolved problems and issues in phases, with each phase becoming progressively narrower in scope and greater in detail. The first phase of the project was primarily a materials and structural concepts trade-off study. Material properties were reviewed for a variety of fiberglass composites and design concepts, resulting in a trade-off matrix. The second phase included a shipyard producibility study. Issues associated with working with composites in a modular, steel construction environment were addressed. Recommendations from this study were then addressed in detail in a follow-on producibility study.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA455921
Entities
People
- Pat Cahill
Organizations
- Bath Iron Works