"US Navy request raises issue about aluminum ships"
By Andrea Shalal-Esa Mar 16, 2010
WASHINGTON, March 16 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy is seeking an analytical tool to predict problems with aluminum-hulled ships just months before it is due to announce the winner of the Littoral Combat Ship competition involving such a ship.
In a little-noticed solicitation posted on a Navy website in January, the Navy said it needed better tools to predict possible cracking on aluminum-hulled ships, especially under difficult conditions at sea. Replies are due by March 24....
Extreme Loading Events
In the solicitation, the Navy said it was facing "great challenges" in picking appropriate analytical tools and validation procedures to assure the performance and integrity of the aluminum ship structure in the presence of "unexpected extreme loading events" such as wave-slamming....
>>>Rest of Article>>>
Nice piece of reporting. As background listen to the second audio link that says “click here” at:
http://disappearednews.com/2008/04/secon d-program-on-alleged-superferry.html
It’s the rest of the story. Helps to explain what the Navy might be looking at.
Also, here's a video to remind our readers what "deck-slamming" looks and sounds like:
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1 comment:
Comment forwarded to us by a reliable source:
"From my industry insider on aluminum testing"
"NAVSEA has for the past five years or so been seeking and granting SBIR (small business initiative research ) grants targeting understanding and improving a number of materials, primarily composite and aluminum. Some tests are targeted toward panel fairness for stealth applications. Some yards are currently conducting a study with a NASA test lab involving corrosion testing to solidify and move material certification forward. Overall we think it is good for our industry to conduct research and improve the engineering process in general. The statement in the article that no issues exist with ... may not be entirely true, we have heard rumor that there has been some minor structural issues but nothing that compromises the overall ship. All that aside the bets within the industry say that the Navy will continue with the JHSV program as they are noncombat transport vessels and that the LCS as a true combatant will be won by the Lockheed/Marinette team with the steel hull. It would appear that the Navy is not up for taking a tinfoil boat to a gun fight."
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