Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
h a l f b a k e r y
Invented by someone French.

idea: add, search, annotate, link, view, overview, recent, by name, random

meta: news, help, about, links, report a problem

account: browse anonymously, or get an account and write.

user:
pass:
register,


                       

Submarine alternative hull materials

Cheaper alternatives for submarin hulls.
  (+4)
(+4)
  [vote for,
against]

The main reason why "personal submarine" projects fail 95% of the time is due to the enormous costs of forming thick plates of steel into the desired hull-shape.

So why not use some other material alltogether? Why not use concrete for example? concrete's been used for a very long time in the construction of tunnels. Hey, if it can withstand the force of a lake plus 10 or 20 meters of rock, sand and rubble, it could be used as a submarine hull too.

I'm thinking about a neutral buoyancy type submarine, with a steel frame encased in 50cm thick concrete. True, it would not be able to dive to the extreme depths metal-hulled subs are able to reach, but then again, who would want to go there?

The best place for recreational submarining would be depths where sunlight can still penetrate. A maximum depth of 50 meters would be more than enough.

akumabito, Nov 10 2005

Concrete Canoes http://members.cox....oe/introduction.htm
Civil engineers have an annual concrete canoe competition. They probably have many of the technical issues worked out for you. [Worldgineer, Nov 10 2005]

Pumpkin Boat Race http://zed.cbc.ca/g...82448&c=contentPage
Carved out pumpkins as boats. [Zimmy, Nov 10 2005]

Concrete Ships http://www.ferroboats.com/
...in general are a well-established industry. [DrCurry, Nov 10 2005]

Concrete Submarines http://www.engineerguy.com/comm/3469.htm
"Perhaps the most bizarre application for concrete is in making ships and submarines...A concrete submarine can dive deeper than a metal one because concrete is very strong under pressure." [DrCurry, Nov 10 2005]

Concrete Submarines http://www.popularm...efense/1281166.html
Coming to a jihad near you, according to this 1998 article. [DrCurry, Nov 10 2005]

Please log in.
If you're not logged in, you can see what this page looks like, but you will not be able to add anything.
Short name, e.g., Bob's Coffee
Destination URL. E.g., https://www.coffee.com/
Description (displayed with the short name and URL.)






       It may make a difference when the concrete is lined with sheet metal, or rubber-like tiles. Remember those black rubber tiles often found at playgounds?   

       Or perhaps helicopter-like bars underneath the craft to make it possile to sit on the seabed.   

       Though I really don't think it would fracure that easily. It takes a LOT to break concrete, especially when it is very thick..
akumabito, Nov 10 2005
  

       Papier Mache?
Ling, Nov 10 2005
  

       Sounds like a plan to me, although I know nothing of concrete engineering (or much of anything else, really).   

       P.S. Actually, this technology appears to be pretty well established, or at least widely discussed, although I can't find any pictures of actual concrete submarines. Possibly this stuff is still secret.
DrCurry, Nov 10 2005
  

       Thanks for the links! I never knew they were already experimenting with this! Very interesting!
akumabito, Nov 10 2005
  

       Now we'll have to kill you.
DrCurry, Nov 10 2005
  

       I love it when ridiculous-sounding ideas turn out to be baked or at least seriously researched.
wagster, Nov 10 2005
  


 

back: main index

business  computer  culture  fashion  food  halfbakery  home  other  product  public  science  sport  vehicle