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Analysis of Hybrid Viscoelastic Sheets Adhered to the Hull of a GFRP Vessel to Reduce Impact Damage

Abstract:

The use of viscoelastic sheets in the hull of vessels built from GFRP has been raised in previous works as an option to protect the vessel from the destructive damage of slamming. The present work proposes its use in boats previously built by adhering to the outside of the hulls of the ships. Its installation process is shown, and this new type of installation is compared. Through impact tests with GFRP panels, it is shown that the viscoelastic material maintains its property of absorbing slamming energy and protecting the interior of the laminate. Fatigue tests on the order of 5 × 104 cycles are carried out to evaluate the impact force, the accelerations that deform the laminate and the virtual energy work imposed on the panel. This option shows that designers have a new option to protect the hull of already built boats.