Deployable Composites for Austere Environments

In remote and resource-limited environments, constructing essential infrastructure presents challenges due to logistical constraints and scarcity of traditional building materials. Deployable composite structures offer a promising solution by enabling on-site fabrication and minimizing logistical burdens. This research explores methods for deployable pre-manufactured and in-field manufactured composites for structural applications. It focuses on the advances in materials and manufacturing that are required to field large-scale composite structures in austere environments. One approach explored is the use of inflatable composites that can be transported compactly and expanded on site using air or expanding foams to create a ridged shell that can then be infused via Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM). Furthermore, pre-impregnated materials can be utilized to limit the need for on-site manufacturing efforts and heavy construction equipment. Additionally, this work discusses the advances in in pre-manufactured composites components, such as additively manufactured molds for composite tub girders, to reduce supply chain logistics at the point of need. While deployable composite technologies have been used extensively in aerospace applications, this work aims to adapt these technologies to create deployable composite structures capable of supporting significant loads in austere environments. By leveraging these techniques, it is possible to manufacture composite structures at the point of need, significantly reducing logistical challenges and enhancing the adaptability of infrastructure development in remote settings for both military and civil works applications.