Responsable: María del Pilar Ariza Moreno
Tipo de Proyecto/Ayuda: Proyecto Internacional (no EU)
Referencia: N629092412079
Fecha de Inicio: 18-06-2024
Fecha de Finalización: 31-05-2027

Empresa/Organismo financiador/es:

• Office of Naval Research EEUU

Equipo:

• Otros Investigadores:
  • Miguel Molinos Pérez
  • Michael Ortiz

Contratados:

• Investigadores:
  • Miguel Molinos Pérez

Resumen del proyecto:

Hybrid bonded structures, where steel components are adhesively bonded to polymeric or composite components, offer significant advantages in ship-building design, including attractive strength-to-weight ratios, and can reduce the top weight of naval ships, improve ship stability and reduce fuel consumption. Adhesive joints joining dissimilar materials are an integral part of hybrid structure design and have superior properties over mechanical fasteners such as bolts and rivets. However, the adoption of lightweight materials and adhesive bonding has lagged behind in the shipbuilding industry owing to general concerns regarding their reliability and fatigue life when exposed to harsh marine environments, such as salt water, during their service lifetime. A particular concern is the deleterious effect that moisture has upon the strength of a bonded component, especially when under operating or off-normal conditions of high stress and temperature.

The aim of the proposed work is to develop a science-based understanding of the fundamental multiscale mechanisms of damage and degradation in metal/polymer interfaces with a view to enabling qualification of lightweight hybrid structures for safe maritime operation. At present, there is a dearth of fundamental scientific knowledge that can contribute to developing reliable guidelines for certifying new designs using hybrid assemblies in secondary structures and for developing safe maintenance protocols, which hinders their advancement and deployment. Specifically, there is a need to develop a fundamental understanding of the competing damage and degradation mechanisms in adhesive joints in aggressive environments. The proposed work is intended as a contribution aimed at developing such an understanding, from atomistic models of interfaces under moisture ingress to coupled diffusion/fatigue models for the prediction of joint lifetime under realistic maritime operation conditions, with the long-term view of enhancing competitiveness, safety and reliability of advanced ship designs. It will also contribute to developing fundamental understanding to push repair technology from temporary to permanent repairs or installations. Specifically, the project will result in design and life assessment tables to be used as part of design, maintenance and repair protocols for Navy hybrid structures under typical operation conditions.