Protecting the Hull of High-Speed Crafts against Slamming Loads Using Hybrid Viscoelastic Layers

Abstract

A finite element model of a small, high-speed glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) craft is presented to simulate the impact of slamming on the bottom of the hull. The behavior patterns of the model are based on the results of laboratory experiments in order to verify the use of a viscoelastic sheet in absorbing the energy of impact damage by modifying the laminate of the hull. The stacking sequence for the model is obtained using a sample from a typical ship sailing in the Galapagos Islands. The FEM model shows the variations in energy absorption by comparing them with strain and damage–strain energy. The benefits of the viscoelastic modification are verified, and its use is proposed for the construction and modification of ships that support destructive slamming loads.