Testing and Analysis Building Block Approach: Evaluation of the Performance of the Integrated Lattice Fuselage Section

摘要

Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composite materials are nowadays extensively used in aeronautics with Boeing's 787 Dreamliner and Airbus's XWB 350 being the leading examples of how to utilise these materials. In General Aviation, Bombardier's Learjet 85 business aircraft would be the first FAA Part 25-certified business jet with primarily composite fuselage and wings. Nevertheless, the design of primary composite structures follows somewhat traditional methodologies with spars and ribs acting as the stiffening and load carrying media. A European Commission part-funded project (WASIS, http://www.wasis.eu) aimed to develop a composite fuselage structure based on the lattice stiffening concept, thus optimizing geometrical and mass characteristics of transition zones of fuselage structural joints. The Piaggio P180 Avanti aircraft was used as the basis for geometry and load definitions. In this paper the testing and analysis building block approach that was devised and implemented for this structure is comprehensively discussed.