3. Materials

The materials used for the marine applications considered here are of two types:

• monolithic composites, in epoxy or vinylester resins, reinforced with carbon fibres;

• sandwich materials [4].

  Sandwich materials are composed of the same skin composites on an expanded foam or honeycomb core. These two types of material encompass many nuances, in terms of fiber type, orientation and dimensions.

  A final material, also very important in shipbuilding, is adhesive.