Program Overview

PRINCIPI DI COSTRUZIONI NAVALI

Course Description

The course provides basic knowledge of naval constructions, with particular emphasis on pleasure boating. It is based on the same foundations as the analogous course of Costruzioni Navali A of Ingegneria Nautica and is mainly focused on wooden and fiberglass boats, with brief references to steel and light alloy.

Objectives and Contents

Educational Objectives

The module aims to illustrate to the student the most significant aspects regarding naval structures, with particular regard to pleasure boating.

Detailed Educational Objectives and Learning Outcomes

The first part of the course is introductory to the knowledge of the naval world in general and aims to make the student acquire the traditional and modern nomenclature both in the technical and normative sectors.

In the second part of the course, all materials for naval constructions are presented, and some basic elements of structural sizing are provided.

In the third part, the structural types typical of the four treated materials (wood, steel, light alloy, and fiberglass) are presented. In this phase, the student must exercise and develop the manual drawing technique, an activity still necessary to quickly and effectively illustrate structural solutions to colleagues and workshops.

Prerequisites

None

Program/Content

The course program is divided into five sequential parts.

First Part: The first part of the course presents the propaedeutic bases of naval constructions and the fundamental nomenclature of the sector, which is complex but fundamental in the profession of naval and nautical engineers.

• Subdivision of the fleet into three main categories: merchant ships, military ships, and pleasure boats.
• Classification by type of propulsion and construction material.
• Presentation of the naval regulatory framework, interested parties, and surveillance, and main regulations: Classification Societies, IMO, SOLAS, MARPOL, Freeboard.

Second Part: The second part of the course describes the main materials for naval constructions and provides some basic elements of structural sizing.

• Principles of structural analysis: main stress characteristics (normal stress, bending, shear, and torsion).
• Tests on materials and physical-mechanical characteristics of materials for naval constructions.
• Table with the costs of raw materials and materials put into operation.
• Types of beams and their dimensional indication in the design.

Third Part: The third part is dedicated to a synthetic illustration of the constructive and structural characteristics of steel ships.

• General principles of welding, with particular reference to the preparation of sheets and related symbology.
• Welding discharges and consequent hull details.
• Automatic welding, aluminum TIG and MIG welding.

Fourth Part: The fourth part of the program is dedicated to naval constructions in wood.

• Subdivision of pleasure boats according to the construction material.
• Physical-mechanical characteristics of wood: anisotropy and inhomogeneity of wood.
• Types of essences and their characteristics.
• Laboratory tests for determining mechanical characteristics.
• Structural setting and designs of pleasure boats in solid wood, plywood, and laminated wood.
• Types of glues and protective varnishes.

Fifth Part: The fifth part of the program is dedicated to naval constructions in composite materials.

• Definition of composite material.
• Powder and fiber reinforcements.
• Description of reinforcement types and resins.
• Catalysts, accelerators, retarders.
• Gelcoat.
• Polymerization process of a laminate.
• Mechanics of stress transmission between resin and reinforcements.
• Calculation of mechanical characteristics, lamination theory.
• Percentage of reinforcement impregnation based on the type of support.
• Lamination methods: manual and spray.
• Table of lamination of a fiberglass hull.
• Yard equipment: molds, facilities for extracting polymerization vapors.
• Advanced lamination methods: vacuum lamination using a nylon bag, infusion.

Texts/Bibliography

• D. Boote, "Elementi di Costruzioni Navali", Dispense del Corso, Facoltà di Architettura, Genova 1991.
• Autori Vari, Ship Design and Construction, SNAME, Ed. 2003.
• Autori Vari, Principles of Naval Architecture, SNAME, Ed. 1988.

Teachers and Commissions

• Dario Boote

Lessons

Start of Lessons

The lessons of the course are held in the first semester, as per the academic calendar.

Lesson Schedule

The schedule of this teaching is consultable at the address: Portale EasyAcademy.

Exams

Exam Methods

Written + Oral

Exam Calendar

• 13/01/2026, 09:30, LA SPEZIA, Written + Oral
• 27/01/2026, 09:30, LA SPEZIA, Written
• 28/05/2026, 09:30, LA SPEZIA, Written
• 29/06/2026, 09:30, LA SPEZIA, Written
• 01/09/2026, 09:30, LA SPEZIA, Written