Advanced technology composite aircraft structures

Work performed during the 25th month on NAS1-18889, Advanced Technology Composite Aircraft Structures, is summarized. The main objective of this program is to develop an integrated technology and demonstrate a confidence level that permits the cost- and weight-effective use of advanced composite materials in primary structures of future aircraft with the emphasis on pressurized fuselages. The period from 1-31 May 1991 is covered

Composite structural materials

Technology utilization of fiber reinforced composite materials is discussed in the areas of physical properties, and life prediction. Programs related to the Composite Aircraft Program are described in detail

Composite structural materials

The composite aircraft program component (CAPCOMP) is a graduate level project conducted in parallel with a composite structures program. The composite aircraft program glider (CAPGLIDE) is an undergraduate demonstration project which has as its objectives the design, fabrication, and testing of a foot launched ultralight glider using composite structures. The objective of the computer aided design (COMPAD) portion of the composites project is to provide computer tools for the analysis and design of composite structures. The major thrust of COMPAD is in the finite element area with effort directed at implementing finite element analysis capabilities and developing interactive graphics preprocessing and postprocessing capabilities. The criteria for selecting research projects to be conducted under the innovative and supporting research (INSURE) program are described

Critical joints in large composite aircraft structure

A program was conducted at Douglas Aircraft Company to develop the technology for critical structural joints of composite wing structure that meets design requirements for a 1990 commercial transport aircraft. The prime objective of the program was to demonstrate the ability to reliably predict the strength of large bolted composite joints. Ancillary testing of 180 specimens generated data on strength and load-deflection characteristics which provided input to the joint analysis. Load-sharing between fasteners in multirow bolted joints was computed by the nonlinear analysis program A4EJ. This program was used to predict strengths of 20 additional large subcomponents representing strips from a wing root chordwise splice. In most cases, the predictions were accurate to within a few percent of the test results. In some cases, the observed mode of failure was different than anticipated. The highlight of the subcomponent testing was the consistent ability to achieve gross-section failure strains close to 0.005. That represents a considerable improvement over the state of the art

Composites: A viable option

While it sounded great to be asked to talk about composites, I found it difficult to select subject areas that would be of real interest. My choice is based on saying some things about where the maturity of the composite aircraft structures is today and what that means in terms of future criteria for application. This focus was the basis for my title selection. The other issue that will be addressed was requested by NASA and focuses on composites structures cost. This fits well with the state-of-the-art interpretations I will discuss first, since the cost issue must be viewed from both the current status and future points of view. The difficulty in presenting something in these areas is not in the subjects themselves but in trying to present a real world viewpoint to an audience of composite experts. So, with recognition of the expertise of the audience, I hope you will see something in this presentation about how to view composite aircraft structure

Composite aircraft structure having lightning protection

A lightning protection system for advanced composite aircraft structures consisting of a sandwich structure including two layers of aluminum foil separated by a layer of dielectric material. The sandwich structure is applied to the surface of the composite aircraft structure desired to be protected from lightning strike damage thereby confining damage to the sandwich structure which can be removed and replaced

A Cost Estimation Approach for Aircraft Design Enhancement

This paper presents a novel reliability-based parametric methodology for quantifying the reliability of cost estimates for new composite aircraft components. In recent years, the aircraft production sector has increased its attention on optimizing their composite manufacturing operations. It has become clear that a key factor in the success of these operations is the consideration that not only technical factors, but also economic ones as well are relevant. Composite manufacturing variability is greatly influenced by many of these factors, and since manufacturing with composites is significantly more difficult than with more traditional materials, there are many sources of uncertainty that could influence the reliability of manufacturing cost estimates for new composite aircraft components. Therefore, it is worth considering these sources of uncertainty during the cost estimation process and to quantify the reliability of the cost estimates. To demonstrate the proposed methodology, a numerical example featuring a real-life composite aircraft component from a Boeing 787, with real-life data, is presented. Results show that the proposed methodology can quantify the uncertainty associated with cost estimates for new composite aircraft components in an effective manner, thereby supporting engineers in optimising the cost of their designs, helping them avoid errors in budget definition, and enabling them to allocate resources more efficiently

Transition from glass to graphite in manufacture of composite aircraft structure

The transition from fiberglass reinforced plastic composites to graphite reinforced plastic composites is described. Structural fiberglass design and manufacturing background are summarized. How this experience provides a technology base for moving into graphite composite secondary structure and then to composite primary structure is considered. The technical requirements that must be fulfilled in the transition from glass to graphite composite structure are also included

Non-Destructive Evaluation—A Pivotal Technology for Qualification of Composite Aircraft Structures

Tremendous advances in composite materials and a deeper understanding of their behavior have been responsible for the increased use of composites in the development of advanced, new generation civil and military aircraft. Composites play an important role in any aircraft development programme and are strong contenders to their metal counterparts due to their significant contributions towards improving strength, stiffness, fatigue properties & weight reduction. As materials, structural design & processing have evolved, strong emphasis is placed on effective & reliable damage detection, durability and damage tolerance. As a consequence, Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) has also undergone significant advances towards meeting the growing demands of quality assurance. Advanced Composites Division (ACD) of National Aerospace Laboratories (NAL), has been involved in the development of composite structures for both civil and military aircraft for over a decade and a half. Innovative composite processing methods like co-curing/co-bonding have been successfully employed to realize airworthy structures. The role of NDE in the development of these structures has been critical and not limited to damage detection alone. On several occasions, NDE has provided valuable inputs towards improving design and process parameters. In-spite of the complexity of the structures, stringent quality requirements and tight delivery schedules, NDE has been successful in certifying these composite structures for airworthiness. This paper discusses the implementation of key NDE techniques like ultrasonics, radiography, acoustic emission and thermography for reliable flaw detection, characterization and quality assurance of composite aircraft structures

Evaluation of energy absorption of new concepts of aircraft composite subfloor intersections

Forty-one composite aircraft subfloor intersection specimens were tested to determine the effects of geometry and material on the energy absorbing behavior, failure characteristics, and post-crush structural integrity of the specimens. The intersections were constructed of twelve ply + or - 45 sub 6 laminates of either Kevlar 49/934 or AS-4/934 graphite-epoxy in heights of 4, 8, and 12 inches. The geometry of the specimens varied in the designs of the intersection attachment angle. Four different geometries were tested