The Use and Abuse of Materials in Ocean Engineering

Abstract

Almost every kind of material and fabrication process now has to be used to meet the demands of ocean engineering, ranging as it does from hydrofoils to research submersibles, and from giant tankers to offshore drilling rigs. Some of the difficulties are obvious, for example when aircraft-like design procedures must be adopted for hovercraft to operate at sea; others, such as the vagaries of corrosion and the risks of brittle fracture, are more subtle. This paper briefly reviews the history of the use of materials in ocean engineering and touches upon their impact on contemporary affairs; some present material capabilities and weaknesses are discussed, and the new philosophy of structural validation and some of the supporting techniques being introduced into the Navy are outlined. Some case histories of the use and abuse of materials in ocean engineering are also described and the paper closes with a glance to the future and some suggested golden rules which may help designers to minimize the abuse of materials.