Elastically Tailored Composite Star Configurations with Circular Core Reinforcement for Tilt Rotor Applications

摘要

A set of modified star configurations that incorporate closed-cell cores is proposed and analyzed. The configurations are prismatic and of variable diameter and wall thickness leading to tailorable torsional stiffness and large extension-twist coupling with constant axial stiffness. A parametric study is performed using a linear as well as a geometrically nonlinear finite element codes. Several composite star beam configurations are manufactured and tested to provide an experimental verification of the finite element predictions. Test results and finite element predictions are in good agreement.