SUBCOMPONENT DAMAGE TOLERANCE EVALUATION OF ALL-COMPOSITE FUSELAGE PANELS

摘要

The aviation industry has developed a number of General Aviation (GA) applications for sandwich composite structural airframes in the past five years. Their use of full fuselage and wing structures instigated an investigation of the damage tolerance characteristics of these sandwich construction methods to assure safety and provide certification methodology for these structures. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has developed a wealth of information on the damage state of sandwich composite structures as part of an extensive research focus in the last decade. This development started as coupon-level testing, proceeded through scale-up testing to a full-scale curved panel test, which is currently in progress. These various development levels have allowed the FAA to develop a knowledge base on the characteristics of damaged sandwich structural composite parts. The program has used a blend of comprehensive testing projects and analytical methods to develop this understanding of the residual strength of sandwich composite structures with manufacturing defects and when damaged in service. The approach included all the physical constraints to develop characteristic behaviour to damage. The results are a systematic approach to understanding and addressing damage certification requirements of sandwich composite structures in GA aircraft.