Hi there - may seem like a strange request. I need to build some detachable screens to protect the glazing at the front of a property from occasional storm waves. If I do it in stainless framework in box section of 100 x 500 x 5 the panels become too heavy to handle. They won't be sliders, they'll need to be manually lifted into place at times of need. The height is approx 2.8m and I need to cover a width of 6m. If i was doing them in steel the most I could possibly hope to lift would be panels of 500mm wide, but even that would be difficult. 

The concept of making a flat sheet is relatively easy.  However, to make it for your specialist application is entirely different. You would need to find out, or calculate the expected forces the panel might experience in such a storm.

Only once you have those kind of figures could you then work on a design for the panels.  You may well in my opinion find going down the route of a panel containing diolen or kevlar within the laminate is a good idea as it has a higher flexural strength and is much more resiliant to impact and shock when compared to pure carbon panels which would be very stiff but less impact resistant.

Warren Penalver
Easy Composites / Carbon Mods - Technical Support Assistant

Thank you Warren. I'll find out from the structural engineer what I am dealing with. So in principle it is possible. I have zero experience in this field so technically stumbling around in the dark. Cheers

I would definitely build these as a corrugated construction with vertical corrugations.  Add to that some reinforcements going across that are shaped so they bond to the fulle profile of the corrugations, and you will have a very strong and light construction.  You could use a standard plastic or metal corrugated roof plate as a mold for making the panels.

 The corrugation wil provide two advantages the first and obvious being the much greater longitudinal strength of the "elements"
The second advantage is a bit more subtle, but logical, the waves that may hit the panels will have some of their impact energy dissipated when hitting the corrugated surface.

I would build them of a combination of kevlar and carbon fibre, to make them very impact resistant, combined with a core of maybe up to 5 mm thickness.

I do not think you would need high grade Carbon fibre, the EC "black Stuff" combined with an outer layer of Kevlar /carbon mix twill and maybe something like the discounted biaxial CF .

Interesting application of "advanced composites" 

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Thank you for your advice - makes total sense. I'll look into getting someone to design this who understands the forces of the wave action a lot more than me!.