Design and Testing of a Composite Pressure Hull for Deep Autonomous Underwater Vehicles

This paper outlines the design and testing process of hull a deep small Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), rated at 2000m depth. Many existing AUV pressure housings use aluminum or other isotropic traditional metals, instead composites due to complexities such big load. The research hand explains starting from setting geometrical constraints for mass production. To best authors’ knowledge, none previous studies has presented detailed description work. Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy material was chosen thanks its high strength-to-weight ratio similarity compressibility sea water. Material characterization performed obtain properties under loading conditions using modified method Combined Loading Compression technique. A specific fixture designed manufactured test filament-wound tubes. An analytical model developed MATLAB, finite element created ABAQUS, results two models were compared. set recommendations introduced stacking sequence provide lowest possible stresses, regardless on diving depth vehicle. Afterwards, quality control tests conducted, including seawater absorption void analysis destructive non-destructive tests. Pilot samples tested in vessel, where it cycle-tested inspected visual ultrasonic testing. Other fail-tested showed failure ~93% expected Such range can be considered good safe operation vehicle designated depth, given that factor safety included covers more than 7% proposed methodology shown CFRE safely used even depths.