A new project should lead to the optimisation of large-scale composite structures. These lightweight components help save energy, including in the aerospace sector as well as the wind energy sector.
This is the D-STANDART project, which receives funding from the EU and is led by the Netherlands Aerospace Centre Royal (NLR). The aim of the project is to develop efficient methods for optimising the lifetime of large-scale composite structures.
Issues related to damage tolerance and service life
Advanced composites enable structures that are both resistant and lightweight. This makes them energy-efficient, which is highly relevant in terms of sustainability. However, the increasing use of such large composite structures also raises issues of damage tolerance and service life. To assess these, researchers have so far relied on non-precise and time-consuming techniques.
Due to their size, large-scale composite structures face extreme loads and stresses, reports TU Delft, which is involved in the project. In particular, if they are optimised for minimal use of material, this plays a role. Within the D-STANDART project, the parties involved are working on accurate and reliable fatigue assessment. The parties focus specifically on modelling large-scale composite structures with random laminate lay-ups. This under realistic conditions such as loads and environmental influences.
Lack of understanding leads to conservative design approach
The lack of understanding of these loads and stresses currently causes parties to take a conservative design approach to large-scale composite structures. This way, they want to prevent that any unforeseen impact could lead to catastrophic problems. While this approach provides additional safety, it stands in the way of weight optimisation and optimal material use. The additional insight to be provided by D-STANDART should provide a solution.
The project involves a total of nine partners from Germany, France, the UK and the Netherlands. NLR is coordinating the project. Other partners are University of Twente, University of Bristol, NCC Operations Ltd, iCOMAT Ltd, TU Delft, MSC Software (a Hexagon Company), L-up, and SE Blades Technology. D-STANDART's advisory board consists of six end-users: Rolls Royce, Fokker Aerostructures, Leonardo, Siemens Gamesa, Embraer and Coexpair. They support the project by validating requirements, guiding the approach to the project for certification and applying the results in close cooperation with the European Materials Modelling Council (EMMC) and the European Materials Characterisation Council (EMCC).
New testing techniques and AI-powered models
Researchers from TU Delft's Aerospace Engineering and Civil Engineering and Geosciences specifically focus on reducing the time and effort required to characterise the fatigue behaviour of composite structures. To this end, they use new testing techniques and link them to AI-powered models.
Among other things, the researchers want to arrive at new test methods that provide insight into changing fibre orientations in a composite laminate and its influence on fatigue life. However, also consider the influence of temperature and humidity. The researchers also want to develop an AI model that predicts the fatigue behaviour of a composite laminate based on its structure.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source photo: Free-Photos via Pixabay
