BIGBOND

Life-cycle processes and design concepts for bonded large-scale marine structures

The objective of the BIGBOND project is to significantly expand the use of adhesive bonding technologies in shipbuilding, thereby improving the weight, sustainability, and circularity of large maritime structures. To this end, the advantages of fiber-reinforced composites (FRC) and adhesive bonding are transferred to large-scale maritime applications. An LNG exhaust mast serves as the demonstrator. The use of adhesive technologies not only enables the application of lightweight and corrosion-resistant materials but also facilitates new design and manufacturing approaches. As a result, ships can be produced more efficiently, while maintenance, repair, and end-of-life recycling are improved.

Within BIGBOND, the ILK is responsible for investigating circular design and engineering concepts for adhesively bonded large-scale maritime structures. The focus lies on methods for the early-stage assessment of environmental impacts during the development process, as well as on strategies for circularity and reuse of fiber-reinforced composite structures. For this purpose, ILK develops indicators and tools to support sustainable decision-making in ship design, along with concepts and technologies for efficient disassembly and material recovery. The overall goal is to enable the reuse of FRC structures and to significantly reduce material-related emissions in shipbuilding. Finally, a sustainability assessment of the demonstrator is intended to highlight the potential and limitations of the new fibre-reinforced composite design in shipbuilding.