PRACTICAL ASPECTS ON STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF A WEIGHT OPTIMIZED FRP-SANDWICH STEALTH CORVETTE

摘要

This paper presents experience gained in the development of the structure of the FRP-sandwich full stealth Visby class corvette. The chosen material concept, carbon fibre/vinyl ester laminates separated by a PVC foam core, was found to fulfill the requirements of structural strength and an integration of stealth qualities into the structure. New approaches concerning loads together with the large number of variables in the material concept have called for an extensive use of FEA in order to weight optimize the structure. The use of FEA has gradually become a more important design tool over the years. Practical aspects concerning sandwich structures and FEA, weight optimization and evaluations of results, are discussed.