Composite Alignment: Direction Matters!

When designing composite materials, the orientation of the fabric drastically alters the potential strength of the composite. This video provides a brief introduction on how to orient a composite with the correct stress system and design considerations.

References

[1] E. J. Barbero, Introduction to Composite Materials Design, 2nd Ed., Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2011.
[2] R. A. F. J R Calvert, An Engineering Data Book, Southampton, UK: Palgrave, 1999.
[4] M. Gopalakrishnan, S. Muthu, R. Subramanian, R. Santhanakrishnan and L. Karthigeyan, "Tensile Properties Study of E-Glass/Epoxy Laminate and pi/4 Quasi-Isotropic E-glass/Epoxy Laminate," Polymers & Polymer Composites, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 429 - 446, 2016.
[5] DNV-GL, "Materials," in Rules for Classification: Yachts, Houston, TX, DNV-GL, October 2016, pp. Part 3, Chapter 5, Section 2.
[8] American Bureau of Shipping, "Materials for Hull Construction - Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP)," in Guide for Building and Classing Yachts, Houston, TX, American Bureau of Shipping, July 2020, pp. Part 2, Chapter 6, Sect. 1.
[9] Shenoi, "Composite Mechanics - Introduction," in Course Notes: Structural Integrity, Southampton, UK, School of Engineering Sciences, University of Southampton, 2008.

[audenwu]

What would be the stress pattern on the bow? Or would it just be a constant force or also an omnidirectional force applied by the wave all around it. And what's the best direction of fibre alignment we would probably see there?

[kenb]

What is the impact of Rolled sheet (plate) metal grain structure on a haul design? Or is heat treating used to normalize the material before use in a haul? Are the Sheet (plate) formed to follow the grain structure of rolling?

[shaider]

Interestingly, the 1st composite used by people on ships is wood.