Abstract
Components and structures working in the marine environment are exposed to high stresses attributable to the action of wind, waves, and tides. Moreover, they have to face hostile and severe environmental conditions during their lifetime, being placed in the splash zone if not even submerged in saltwater. The application of polymer composites in marine systems has been the focus of intensive studies in the last decades, highlighting potential benefits given by the replacement of several components, such as ship hulls, propeller blades, wind, and tidal turbine blades, to cite but a few. The present paper reports the latest advances in this area, addressing the applications of advanced composites in ships and ship components, offshore oil and gas composites, marine renewable energy and underwater repairing.
Highlights
Watercraft, submersibles, offshore structures, and other marine structural components are exposed to relevant environmental challenges
The application of polymer composites in marine systems has been the focus of intensive studies in the last decades, highlighting potential benefits given by the replacement of several components, such as ship hulls, propeller blades, wind, and tidal turbine blades, to cite but a few
The present paper reports the latest advances in this area, addressing the applications of advanced composites in ships and ship components, offshore oil and gas composites, marine renewable energy and underwater repairing
Summary
Watercraft, submersibles, offshore structures, and other marine structural components are exposed to relevant environmental challenges. With specific reference to fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP), have been extensively incorporated in the marine industry following their early applications after World War II when composites were designed to overcome corrosion issues experienced with steel, aluminum, and wood. Composites science and technology are developing rapidly, providing new material solutions, addressing the requirement for high performance. Stiffer hulls and decks are the main applications where the shipbuilding industry has adopted composite sandwich structures, composed by two skins with high stiffness and strength placed on the external faces of a component and by a soft and thick core. The combination of aramid fibers (such as Kevlar) or carbon to reinforce high-quality resins and ultra-light cores (such as Nomex), results in boats with unmatched mechanical properties and dimensions. Composite sandwich structures have a higher cost compared to conventional materials and the manufacturing processes are more labor-intensive, limiting their widespread use [1,4]
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