Composite Inflatable Pontoon
Abstract
The goal of this thesis was to design an inflatable pontoon using composite materials
which could replace traditional inflatable materials used in the marine industry.
Historically, not many people have experimented with different materials going into an
inflatable bladder, but rather experimented with the hull design and fastening methods. Not
only has minimal research been done on the material comprising the inflatable, but not
much research has been done in the past on inflatable vessels all together.
The reason for looking into an alternative material is because traditional materials are
manufactured into pontoon/collar shapes using longitudinal seams that wear out and fail
well before the material fails. This seam issue can be avoided with composites while
adding additional benefits as well. Fiber Reinforced Plastic (FRP) materials have become
popular over time in the marine industry for their strong, yet lightweight, and multilayer
design capabilities in the construction of rigid boat hulls. One thing with FRP’s however, is
they have mostly been known for their stiffness capabilities, limited by the matrix which is
combined with the fibers to make the FRP laminate.
In 2014, Structural Composites Inc. published a patent for a new CoCure™ gelcoat/resin
technology which is now changing FRP materials and their capabilities. This new
CoCure™ gelcoat/resin technology, discussed further in the following chapters, allows
flexibility within Composite materials that has never been possible before. Utilizing these
new technologies, this thesis will go into detail explaining the design of an optimized
inflatable pontoon structure using FRP materials with high elongation matrices.