Effects of fabric combinations on the quality of glass fiber reinforced polymer hull structures

Conventionally, Chopped Strand Mat (CSM) and Woven Roving Mat (WRM) fabrics are combined to manufacture Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) laminate structures for small vessels, such as fishing boats and yachts, according to established practical experience and traditional methods rather than the application of elaborate design rules. Combinations of the aforementioned fabrics positively contribute to improve the strength of hull structures. In this study, effects of fabric combination types on the quality of GFRP structures such as hull plates are quantitatively verified through experiments and statistical analysis. The results confirm the following: (1) hull plates fabricated by combining CSM and WRM exhibit enhanced strength in the normal glass fiber weight fraction (Gc) regions with an E-glass fiber content of 30-50%, and (2) the effect of reducing the amount of decrease in the strength is observed in high-Gc regions with an E-glass fiber content of 50% or higher. Furthermore, a combination of these fabrics demonstrated a significant effect in improving the quality of the composite laminates owing to a reduction in void defects in the hull plates.