Feasibility of Filament Winding Large Ship Hulls

Abstract : During this study effort, the Contractor analyzed the feasibility of placing fibers on a hull-shaped mandrel in such a way as to (1) cover the mandrel with fibers at a variety of angles, and (2) yield a structure conforming to the contours of the mandrel. After suitable fiber placements were found to be feasible, the feasibility was verified by winding a 1/48-scale hull-shaped model. Thickness specifications for a full size filament wound hull were then developed, and the Contractor wound small sections of such a hull to demonstrate that structures of the specified thickness could be wound satisfactorily. Finally, the Contractor analyzed whether the winding trials carried out during the study adequately demonstrated the feasibility of winding ship hulls of 200- foot length. This report introduces the developments that led to the study, describes the windings and analyses performed during the study, and presents conclusions and recommendations for further study.