Patching a Fuselage

Abstract

Straight fiber variable stiffness laminates use multiple overlapping patches to tailor the fiber orientations in particular regions of the laminate. A novel, automated framework for the design of manufacturable laminate has been developed using different stages. In the first and second stage an optimal stiffness distribution is determined using lamination parameters and converted to stacking sequences on a per region basis. In the third and fourth stages cellular automata and network theory are used to introduce cohesion between regions and comply with current manufacturing standards. Plates in uniaxial compression and cylinders in bending show an increase in buckling performance of 42% and 30% respectively. Such improvements do allow weight savings between 7-11% for these types of structures. When the additional cost of manufacturing and the cost-to-weight ratio for airlines are considered, these laminates already have the potential to significantly reduce the cost of air travel.