Lightweight and Additively Manufactured Structures in Marine Applications

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Ocean Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 January 2024) | Viewed by 9592

Special Issue Editors

Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: light-weight structures and green materials in shipbuilding; innovative methods for fatigue prediction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
Interests: light-weight and additively manufactured structures in shipbuilding; biomimetics for ship design; experimental characterization of materials and structures; non-destructive analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Lightweight structures and additive manufacturing technologies are both key topics in the continuous path toward innovation and sustainability that the marine industry is required to go through.

Promoting a wider integration of the lightweight concept for marine structures would result in the achievement of several benefits, ranging from saving fuel and reducing emissions to increasing payload capacities, speed or ease in the transportation of raw materials. Another source of disruptive innovation for the marine industry is likely to come from additive manufacturing, whose application to large parts is becoming a successful trend. Additive manufacturing technologies in the marine industry could support the improvement in specific performance and convey the introduction of innovative solutions, such as metamaterials, optimised lattice structures or bio-inspired solutions.

In order to achieve the full potential of lightweight and additive manufacturing structures for marine applications, a significant research effort is required in order to establish a high level of confidence for their design and lay strong foundations for clear and reliable guidelines and regulations. The objective of this Special Issue is to provide a platform to share the latest research advances concerning both lightweight marine structures and additive manufacturing potentialities in the marine industry. Both full research papers and review articles are welcome.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Lightweight design methodologies for marine structures;
  • Weight-driven marine structures optimisation;
  • Experimental and numerical analyses on lightweight or additively manufactured marine structures;
  • Lightweight structures’ performance evaluation, failure analysis and repair strategies;
  • Evaluation of potentialities of additive manufacturing technologies in the marine industry;
  • Innovative additive manufacturing technologies for large-scale structures;
  • Integration and connection solutions for the integration of lightweight and/or additively manufactured solutions in marine structures;
  • Environmental impact assessment of lightweight and/or additively manufactured marine structures

Prof. Dr. Vincenzo Crupi
Dr. Giulia Palomba
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • lightweight structures
  • additive manufacturing materials
  • sandwich structures
  • marine structures
  • ship design
  • bioinspired designs
  • green ship
  • experimental tests
  • numerical analyses
  • theoretical approaches

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3230 KiB  
Article
Stress–Strain Assessment of Honeycomb Sandwich Panel Subjected to Uniaxial Compressive Load
by Pasqualino Corigliano, Giulia Palomba, Vincenzo Crupi and Yordan Garbatov
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(2), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11020365 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1546
Abstract
The ship hull structure is composed of plates and stiffened panels. Estimating the maximum load-carrying capacity, or the ultimate strength, of these structural components is fundamental. One of the main challenges nowadays is the implementation of new materials and technologies to enhance the [...] Read more.
The ship hull structure is composed of plates and stiffened panels. Estimating the maximum load-carrying capacity, or the ultimate strength, of these structural components is fundamental. One of the main challenges nowadays is the implementation of new materials and technologies to enhance the structural integrity, economy, safety and environmentally friendly design of the ship’s hull structure. A new design solution may be represented by aluminium alloy honeycomb sandwich structures, both as plane panels or stiffened ones, which are characterised by excellent impact-absorption capabilities and a high stiffness-to-weight ratio. Still, their response to some conditions typical of ship structural design needs to be deeply investigated. Axial compressive loading is one of the most critical conditions that could impact the structural integrity of such light-weight solutions. Hence, the uniaxial compressive behaviour of aluminium honeycomb sandwich structures has to be deeply investigated to promote their integration in ship structural design. Within this context, the present work performs an experimental and numerical study of a honeycomb sandwich panel subjected to uniaxial compressive loads. The results will help develop models for predicting the uniaxial compressive load-carrying capacity of hybrid honeycomb sandwiches of aluminium alloy design. Full article
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17 pages, 7289 KiB  
Article
Static and Fatigue Full-Scale Tests on a Lightweight Ship Balcony Overhang with Al/Fe Structural Transition Joints
by Giulia Palomba, Pasqualino Corigliano, Vincenzo Crupi, Gabriella Epasto and Eugenio Guglielmino
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(10), 1382; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10101382 - 27 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1358
Abstract
Combination of lightweight and sustainable marine structures represents a crucial step to accomplish weight reduction and improve structural response. A key point when considering the reliability of innovative structural solutions, which should not be neglected, is represented by large-scale experimental investigations and not [...] Read more.
Combination of lightweight and sustainable marine structures represents a crucial step to accomplish weight reduction and improve structural response. A key point when considering the reliability of innovative structural solutions, which should not be neglected, is represented by large-scale experimental investigations and not only by small-scale specimen analysis. The present research activity deals with the experimental assessment of a lightweight ship balcony overhang, which incorporates an aluminium honeycomb sandwich structure and Al/Fe structural transition joints obtained by means of the explosion welding technique. The ship balcony overhang was formerly designed with the aim of proposing the replacement of ordinary marine structures with green and lightweight options. Experimental investigations of a large-scale structure were performed to validate the design procedure and to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed solution. Large-scale bending tests of the ship balcony overhang were performed considering representative configurations of severe loading conditions. The experimental analysis allowed the evaluation of the structure’s strength, stiffness and failure modes. Comparisons with analogous structures reported in the literature were performed with the aim of assessing the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed lightweight structure. Fatigue tests were also performed in order to evaluate the hardening and the hysteresis loops. The collapse modes of the structure were investigated using X-ray radiography. The structural transition joints have experienced no cracks during the static and fatigue tests. The results clearly indicated that the proposed solution can be integrated in new and existing ships, even if made of steel, as the Al/Fe structural transition joints produced by explosion welding can be used to connect the ship structure to the Al honeycomb balcony. The systematic analysis of the experimental results gave valuable data to enhance the design methodology of such structures. Full article
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23 pages, 10470 KiB  
Article
Fluid-Structure Interaction Analyses for Hydro-Elastic Tailoring of a Windsurfer Fin
by Miguel Cardoso de Brito, Leigh Stuart Sutherland, José Manuel C. Pereira and Mário Rui Arruda
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(10), 1371; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10101371 - 26 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1681
Abstract
A fully iterative ‘two-way’ fluid-structure interaction (FSI) tool of a commercially available composite windsurfer fin was developed, which was then used to investigate the normally hidden fin behaviour for a range of typical sailing conditions. The ‘two-way’ FSI analysis gave significantly better insights [...] Read more.
A fully iterative ‘two-way’ fluid-structure interaction (FSI) tool of a commercially available composite windsurfer fin was developed, which was then used to investigate the normally hidden fin behaviour for a range of typical sailing conditions. The ‘two-way’ FSI analysis gave significantly better insights into the fin behaviour than the simpler ‘one-way’ non-iterative analysis. The tool also indicated that hydro-elastic tailoring, via simple reinforcement ply rotations, can produce large changes in tip twist. This gives an opportunity for both improved passive control and higher speeds, without deviating from a hydrodynamically optimal plan form. Inexpensive cantilever tests appear to be sufficient to make qualitative comparisons between the sailing responses of fins with different layups. Full article
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17 pages, 1701 KiB  
Article
Cost, Energy Efficiency and Carbon Footprint Analysis of Hybrid Light-Weight Bulk Carrier
by Giulia Palomba, Simone Scattareggia Marchese, Vincenzo Crupi and Yordan Garbatov
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2022, 10(7), 957; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse10070957 - 12 Jul 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1701
Abstract
Integrating innovative solutions for ship design has always been a great challenge for the maritime sector due to complex design and construction processes. With this scenario in mind, the objective of this study was to develop a procedure to evaluate the potential benefits [...] Read more.
Integrating innovative solutions for ship design has always been a great challenge for the maritime sector due to complex design and construction processes. With this scenario in mind, the objective of this study was to develop a procedure to evaluate the potential benefits arising from the integration of innovative light-weight structures in ship hull structural design. To achieve such an objective, a hybrid light-weight ship hull structural design solution, in which aluminium honeycomb sandwich panels were used to build the conventional steel inner side shell of the cargo holds, was adopted for a bulk carrier. The authors of this study used a multiple criteria decision-making approach. An optimal ship hull structural design solution was identified based on capital cost, voyage cost, annual cost, energy efficiency design index, dismantling–reselling cost, cargo transportation, energy consumption and carbon footprint. The optimal solution, identified with the multiple criteria decision-making approach, improved the ship’s efficiency and costs by combining the hybrid structural design with efficient cargo transportation. In addition, using recycled aluminium was found to be a promising strategy to reduce the energy consumption and carbon footprint related to the shipbuilding process. Full article
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Review

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23 pages, 5518 KiB  
Review
Green Composites for Maritime Engineering: A Review
by Vincenzo Crupi, Gabriella Epasto, Francesco Napolitano, Giulia Palomba, Ilaria Papa and Pietro Russo
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2023, 11(3), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11030599 - 12 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2456
Abstract
Green composites have gained increasing attention in recent years as a sustainable alternative to traditional materials used in marine structures. These composites are made from biodegradable and renewable materials, making them environmentally friendly and reducing the subsequent carbon footprint. This review aims to [...] Read more.
Green composites have gained increasing attention in recent years as a sustainable alternative to traditional materials used in marine structures. These composites are made from biodegradable and renewable materials, making them environmentally friendly and reducing the subsequent carbon footprint. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of green composites materials and their applications in marine structures. This review includes a classification of the potential fibres and matrixes for green composites which are suitable for marine applications. The properties of green composites, such as their strength and Young’s modulus, are analysed and compared with those of traditional composites. An overview concerning current rules and regulations is presented. The applications of green composites in marine structures are reviewed, focusing on both shipbuilding and offshore applications. The main challenges in a wider application of green composites are also highlighted, as well as the benefits and future challenges. Full article
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