Bio-inspired protective structures for marine applications

Abstract

Materials and structures for marine applications are often required to combine high mechanical performance with lightness, but traditional solutions are not always adequate to the scope. The application of biomimetic science could provide innovative and efficient solutions, whose research is the aim of the present paper. In the current work, bamboo samples were subjected to impact both on the outside and on the inside surface. It was found that the impact strength is correlated to the third power of thickness and that the softer inside layers may act as an energy absorbing structure, which enhance impact resistance. Impact tests were also performed on specimens whose outside surface had been abraded and on whole cylindrical sections. The role of graded and hierarchical structure in impact response, suggested some guidelines for bio-inspired structures design. Four bamboo-inspired structures were designed, based on the idea of combining corrugated panels with different geometrical characteristics to resemble bamboo graded and hierarchical structure. These structures were made using 3D printing and tested in compression. The best performance was obtained by the structure which more closely replicates bamboo's hierarchy. Structure performance could be predicted with reasonable accuracy using buckling theory.

Cost, Energy Efficiency and Carbon Footprint Analysis of Hybrid Light-Weight Bulk Carrier

“…The direct environmental benefit of a light-weight structure is related to the potential fuel savings, required power reduction and subsequent emission decrease. The marine industry has often addressed weight-saving purposes by adopting sandwich structures [6][7][8]; these solutions can combine different materials (all-metal, composite or hybrid) and can have several core configurations, ranging from corrugated [9] to lattice [10], from foam [11] to honeycomb [12], or more even complicated geometries inspired by nature [13]. The main categories currently using sandwich structures are those of pleasure boats, yachts and small navy ships, for which researchers pioneered sandwich introduction in shipbuilding [14].…”

Diseño bioinspirado en la palma de coco de Panamá para estructuras de absorción de energía

“…Las áreas de aplicación de los materiales bioinspirados son múltiples como se mencionan en [6], [14], [15]. Específicamente, las estructuras con capacidad de absorción de energía se utilizan en la industria automotriz, naval, aeroespacial, construcción, defensa y protección personal y deportiva.…”