Numéro : 2376 - Year : 2001
The future of the composite materials in military shipbuilding
Isabelle RAGOUT, DCN - Direction Technique
Patrick PARNEIX, DCN INGENIERIE/CN
Marie-Hélène BILLOT, DCN Direction Technique
Composite materials use in warship construction has been in constant evolution for almost 50 years; it is characterized by varied applications, from hull for some types of ships to various elements, structural or not. Even if technological choices are in question for each new project, one may admit that some characteristics of the composite materials make them either the unique solution, either a concurrent one, or even a non acceptable one, depending on the application. The situation evolves with technological progresses. After a brief review of the main properties of composite materials and an analysis of their consequences in choosing or rejecting composites, depending on applications, it will be demonstrated that recent evolutions, particularly as far as manufacturing processes are concerned, converge with the needs of future programs to confirm composite's use in their actual submarine applications and to probably emphasize composite's use, particularly for the emerged parts of surface ships.
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