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DLBA & Leidos Combination: Optimized Composite Structures

FEBRUARY 18, 2022

The combination of the DLBA and Leidos structural engineering capabilities brings significant benefit to our customers and their programs.  The Leidos team brings additional composite engineering capability (2 composite structural engineers and a composite manufacturing engineer, formerly of Gurit (USA) Inc.). 

Seahawk Participating in U.S. Pacific Fleet’s Unmanned Systems Integrated Battle Problem
Courtesy:  Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shannon Renfroe

The team has significant experience in high end, advanced marine vessels and carbon and e-glass prepreg and infusion composite construction.   The team focuses on high-speed naval vessel design and analysis and has significant experience in the design and analysis of production motor yachts, racing yachts and custom super yachts to accurately predict their structural performance.

Full hull FEA of high-speed center console
Courtesy: DLBA

Analyses include designs of classed vessels to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Lloyd’s Register and International Organization for Standardization (ISO).  On the military side, Sea Hunter and Seahawk are advanced wave piercing trimarans, designed to ABS High-Speed Naval Craft (HSNC).  They were analyzed using the teams advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) design capability (Altair HyperWorks software suite) using ply-based modelling to create and analyze a whole vessel model. 

Hard top modal analysis
Courtesy: DLBA
Using a variety of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tools, pressures and loads can be generated to apply directly in the FEA model.  This analysis is used to identify areas of stress concentration and complex global structural modes to optimize vessel structural geometry and laminate schedules via material selection, patching and fiber orientation – which aids in not only pure structural analysis, but also noise and vibration reduction.  We also have extensive experience with exotics such as Carbon, Kevlar, and E-Glass reinforcements and in optimizing laminates to yield weight savings.
Modal analysis results of preliminary conceptual composite vessel design
Courtesy: Leidos
In the recreational boating world, our FEA expertise is regularly applied to evaluate overall hull structure, local high stress areas, gyro foundations, hardtops, and transom reinforcements to support the installation of multiple high-powered outboard motors.  The acquisition of DLBA, with their parent company, Gibbs and Cox to Leidos brings together experts in the field of Naval Architecture, hydrodynamics, composite structures, and manufacturing.  The newly formed team can take advantage of 35+ years of experience in analysis, design and manufacturing support.  First principal analysis, and Finite Element Analysis are used as required.  The engineering process maintains direct input from the manufacturing experts who steer the design towards something that can be built within cost and schedule constraints.
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DLBA Naval Architects

860 Greenbrier Circle, Suite 201  Chesapeake, Virginia 23320 USA

Phone: 757-545-3700  |  Fax: 757-545-8227  | dlba@gibbscox.com

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