Structural Performance of Fiber-Placed, Variable-Stiffness Composite Conical and Cylindrical Shells

The use of fiber-reinforced composites in aerospace structures has increased dramatically over the past decades. The high specific strength and stiffness, the tailorability, and the possibilities to integrate parts and reduce the number of fasteners give composites an advantage over metals. Automation of the production process enables large...

Bending Test of a Variable-Stiffness Fiber-Reinforced Composite Cylinder

Two carbon-fiber-reinforced composite cylinders were tested in bending. One cylinder, the baseline cylinder, consisted of 0º, 90º and ±45º plies, whereas the other cylinder, called the variable-stiffness cylinder, contained plies with fiber orientations that varied in the circumferential direction, which caused a variation in laminate stiffness....

Design and Manufacture of a Variable-Stiffness Cylindrical Shell