Short-term Structural Performance of Self-monitoring Composite Marine Propellers

Abstract

As a primary component of the marine propulsion systems, ship propellers have been traditionally made of nickel-aluminium-bronze (NAB) or manganese bronze (MB). With the development of fibre reinforced composite materials, the advanced plastic materials are considered to be applied in the manufacturing of marine propellers. Compared to conventional rigid propellers, the composite marine propellers are expected to possess advantages of lighter weight, lower maintenance costs, higher cavitation inception speed, declined acoustic signature, and improved efficiency at off-design conditions. These potential benefits have promoted numerical and (fewer) experimental investigations of composite marine propellers. This supports the promising future of their applications, however, a more profound understanding of the underlying mechanical properties of composite marine propellers is essential before they find a wider use in practical applications in engineering.