Comparison of numerical and experimental strain distributions in composite panel for aerospace applications

Abstract

[EN] In structural applications of aerospace industry, weight efficiency, understood as minimal weight and maximal stiffness, is of great importance. This criterion can be achieved by composite lightweight structures. Typical structures for aforementioned applications are sandwich panels (e.g., with honeycomb core) and stiffened panels (e.g., with blade ribs, T-bar ribs, or hat ribs). In this paper, a hat-stiffened panel, made of carbon/epoxy woven composite, is considered. Results of experiments, consisting of loading the panel and measuring exciting forces and strains (using strain gages), are presented. The results are compared to strains distribution obtained from finite element model of the panel.The research was partially funded from financial resources from the statutory subsidy of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, in 2021. W.M. acknowledges the National Agency for Academic Exchange of Poland (under the Academic International Partnerships program, grant agreement PPI/APM/2018/1/00004) for supporting training in the University of Minho, which enabled execution of the study.Mucha, W.; Kuś, W.; Viana, J.; Nunes, J. (2022). Comparison of numerical and experimental strain distributions in composite panel for aerospace applications. En Proceedings of the YIC 2021 - VI ECCOMAS Young Investigators Conference. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 403-411. https://doi.org/10.4995/YIC2021.2021.12572OCS40341