• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.104-113
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• 2020

The study aims to improve the previous theory-based algorithm on the lightweight design of laminate structures of a composite ship based on the mechanical properties of fiber, resin, and laminates obtained from experiments. From a case study on using a hydrometer to measure the specific gravity of e-glass fiber woven roving fabric/polyester resin used as the raw material for the hull of a 52 ft composite ship, the equation for calculating the weight of laminate was redefined, and the relationship between decreasing mechanical properties and increasing glass content was determined from the results of material testing according to ASTM D5083 and ASTM D790. After applying these experimental data to the existing algorithm and improving it, a possible laminate design that maximizes the specific strength of the composite material was confirmed. In a case study that applied the existing algorithm based on rules, the optimal lightweight design of composite structures was achieved when the weight fraction of e-glass fiber was increased by 57.5% compared with that in the original design, but the improved algorithm allowed for an increase of only 17.5%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.219-226
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• 2020

Nondestructive testing is one of the most commonly used quality inspection methods for evaluating ship structures. However, accurate evaluation is dif icult because various composite materials, such as reinforcements, resin, and fiber-reinforced plastics (FRPs), are used in hulls, and manufacturing quality differences are likely to exist owing to the fabrication environment and the skill level of workers. This possibility is especially true for FRP ships because they are significantly thicker than other structures, such as automobiles and aircraft, and are mainly manufactured using the hand lay-up method. Because the density of a material is a critical condition for ultrasonic inspection, in this study, a hull plate was selected from a vessel manufactured using e-glass fiber, which is widely used in the manufacture of FRP vessels with the weight fraction of the glass content generally considered. The most suitable ultrasonic testing conditions for the glass FRP hull plate were investigated using a pulse-echo ultrasonic gauge. A-scans were performed with three probes (1.00, 2.25, and 5.00 MHz), and the results were compared with those of the hull plate thickness measured using a Vernier caliper. It was found that when the probe frequency was higher, the eco-pulse velocity of the receiver had to be lowered to obtain accurate measurement results, whereas fewer errors occurred at a relatively low probe frequency.