Print Email Facebook Twitter Static test of a variable stiffness thermoplastic composite wingbox under shear, bending and torsion Title Static test of a variable stiffness thermoplastic composite wingbox under shear, bending and torsion Author Zucco, G. (Mary Immaculate College) Oliveri, V. (Mary Immaculate College) Rouhi, M. (Mary Immaculate College) Telford, R. (Mary Immaculate College) Clancy, G. (Mary Immaculate College) McHale, C. (Mary Immaculate College) O'Higgins, R. (Mary Immaculate College) Young, T. M. (Mary Immaculate College) Weaver, P. M. (Mary Immaculate College) Peeters, D.M.J. (TU Delft Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies; Mary Immaculate College) Date 2020-05-01 Abstract Automated manufacturing of thermoplastic composites has found increased interest in aerospace applications over the past three decades because of its great potential in low-cost, high rate, repeatable production of high performance composite structures. Experimental validation is a key element in the development of structures made using this emerging technology. In this work, a mm variable-stiffness unitised integrated-stiffener out-of-autoclave thermoplastic composite wingbox is tested for a combined shear-bending-torsion induced buckling load. The wingbox is manufactured by in-situ consolidation using a laser-assisted automated tape placement technique. It is made and tested as a demonstrator section located at 85% of the wing semi-span of a B-737/A320 sized aircraft. A bespoke in-house test rig and two aluminium dummy wingboxes are also designed and manufactured for testing the wingbox assembly which spans more than 3m. Prior to testing, the wingbox assembly and the test rig were analysed using a high fidelity finite element method to minimise the failure risk due to the applied load case. The experimental test results of the wingbox are also compared with the predictions made by a numerical study performed by nonlinear finite element analysis showing less than 5% difference in load-displacement behaviour and buckling load and full agreement in predicting the buckling mode shape. Subject BucklingComposite wingboxTestingThermoplasticTow steeringVariable stiffness To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d931671d-5936-41ef-bd9a-1236f42cc0d6 DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/aer.2019.161 Embargo date 2020-12-01 ISSN 0001-9240 Source The Aeronautical Journal, 124 (1275), 635-666 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2020 G. Zucco, V. Oliveri, M. Rouhi, R. Telford, G. Clancy, C. McHale, R. O'Higgins, T. M. Young, P. M. Weaver, D.M.J. Peeters Files PDF TheAeronauJ_Submitted.pdf 23.07 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:d931671d-5936-41ef-bd9a-1236f42cc0d6/datastream/OBJ/view