Fatigue Strength of a LNGC Secondary Barrier Made of a Composite Material with Aramid Fibers

摘要

Insulation systems in liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGCs) are vulnerable to sloshing impact and fatigue loads because of waves. If gas leaks into the primary barrier, the flexible secondary barrier (FSB) prevents the leakage of gas in this system. The fatigue strength of a composite FSB largely depends on the behavior of its materials. In this study, a new containment system is proposed for the FSB with the use of aramid fibers to improve its fatigue strength by replacing the conventional E-glass with aramid ones. In its manufacturing, the ratio of aramid to E-glass fibers was varied for an optimum design of the FSB. Fatigue tests showed that the FSB with aramid fibers was superior to that with E-glass ones.