Damage to aircraft composite structures caused by directed energy system: A literature review

This paper presents a comprehensive review of the research studies on direct energy system effect on aircraft composite structures to develop a good understanding of state-of-the-art research and development in this area.The review begins with the application of composite materials in the aircraft structures and highlights their particular areas of application and limitations.An overview of directed energy system is given.Some of the commonly used systems in this category are discussed and the working principles of laser energy systems are described.The experimental and numerical studies reported regarding the aircraft composite structures subject to the effect of directed energy systems,especially the laser systems are reviewed in detail.In particularly,the general effects of laser systems and the relevant damage mechanisms against the composite structures are reported.The review draws attention to the recent research and findings in this field and is expected to guide engineers/researchers in future theoretical,numerical,and experimental studies.

STOCHASTIC BOUNDARY ELEMENT METHOD FOR RELIABILITY ANALYSIS OF PLATE AND BEAMS COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

In this paper, the reliability of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures, which is under the actions of the stochastic loading and stochastic boundary conditions, have been analyzed by stochastic boundary element method. First, the boundary integral equation of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures is given in this paper, and then based on the stochastic boundary element method, the method for reliability analysis of stochastic structures is establishes and formulas for computation of reliability index of orthotropic plate and beams composite structures are obtained. The computed examples show the efficient of the method used in this paper.

A Review of Structural Health Monitoring Techniques as Applied to Composite Structures

Structural Health Monitoring(SHM)is the process of collecting,interpreting and analysing data from structures in order to determine its health status and the remaining life span.Composite materials have been extensively use in recent years in several industries with the aim at reducing the total weight of structures while improving their mechanical properties.However,composite materials are prone to develop damage when subjected to low to medium impacts(i.e.1-10 m/s and 11-30 m/s respectively).Hence,the need to use SHM techniques to detect damage at the incipient initiation in composite materials is of high importance.Despite the availability of several SHM methods for the damage identification in composite structures,no single technique has proven suitable for all circumstances.It must be noted that the amount of techniques available nowadays is too extensive to be comprehensively reviewed in a single paper.Therefore,the focus will be on techniques that can serve as a starting point for studies focusing on damage detection,localisation,assessment and prognosis on certain kinds of structures.Thus,the line of thought behind the search and the structure of this review is a result of objectives beyond the scope of the paper itself.Nevertheless,it was considered that,once the above was understood,an updated synopsis such as this could also be useful for other researchers in the same field.

A FUZZY MODEL FOR THE FAILURE OF COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

In this paper, the fuzzy theory is used to describe the uncertainty in failure definition of composite structures. The concept of structural failure level (SFL) is suggested and a method of evaluation is presented.

On the Impact of Manufacturing Uncertainty in Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures: A Signal to Noise Weighted Neural Network Process

This article investigates the potential impact of manufacturing uncertainty in composite structures here in the form of thickness variation in laminate plies, on the robustness of commonly used Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). Namely, the robustness of an ANN SHM system is assessed through an airfoil case study based on the sensitivity of delamination location and size predictions, when the ANN is imposed to noisy input. In light of the observed poor performance of the original network, even when its architecture was carefully optimized, it had been proposed to weigh the input layer of the ANN by a set of signal-to-noise (SN) ratios and then trained the network. Both damage location and size predictions of the latter SHM approach were increased to above 90%. Practical aspects of the proposed robust SN-ANN SHM have also been discussed.

Magneto-rheological elastomer (MRE) based composite structures for micro-vibration control

Magneto-rheological elastomers （MILEs） are used to construct composite structures for micro-vibration control of equipment under stochastic support-motion excitations. The dynamic behavior of MREs as a smart viscoelastic material is characterized by a complex modulus dependent on vibration frequency and controllable by external magnetic fields. Frequency-domain solution methods for stochastic micro-vibration response analysis of the MRE-based structural systems are developed to derive the system frequency-response function matrices and the expressions of the velocity response spectrum. With these equations, the root-mean-square （RMS） velocity responses in terms of the one-third octave frequency band spectrum can be calculated. Further, the optimization problem of the complex moduli of the MRE cores is defined by minimizing the velocity response spectra and the RMS velocity responses through altering the applied magnetic fields. Simulation results illustrate the influences of MRE parameters on the RMS velocity responses and the high response reduction capacities of the MRE-based structures. In addition, the developed frequency-domain analysis methods are applicable to sandwich beam structures with arbitrary cores characterized by complex shear moduli under stochastic excitations described by power spectral density functions, and are valid for a wide frequency range.

Bilateral Filter for the Optimization of Composite Structures

In the present study,we propose to integrate the bilateral filter into the Shepard-interpolation-based method for the optimization of composite structures.The bilateral filter is used to avoid defects in the structure that may arise due to the gap/overlap of adjacent fiber tows or excessive curvature of fiber tows.According to the bilateral filter,sensitivities at design points in the filter area are smoothed by both domain filtering and range filtering.Then,the filtered sensitivities are used to update the design variables.Through several numerical examples,the effectiveness of the method was verified.

Inspection interval optimization for aircraft composite structures with dent and delamination damage

The optimization of inspection intervals for composite structures has been proposed,but only one damage type,dent damage,has been addressed so far.The present study focuses on the two main damage types of dent and delamination,and a model for optimizing the inspection interval of composite structures is proposed to minimize the total maintenance cost on the premise that the probability of structure failure will not exceed the acceptable level.In order to analyze the damage characteristics and the residual strength of the composite structure,the frequency,energy,size,and depth of the damage are studied,and the situation of missing detection during the inspection is considered.The structural residual strength and total maintenance cost are quantified corresponding to different inspection intervals.The proposed optimization method relieves the constraints in previous simulation methods,and is more consistent with the actual situation.Finally,the outer wing of aircraft is taken as an example,and with the historical cases and experimental data,the optimization method is verified.The optimal inspection interval is shorter than the actually implemented inspection interval,and the corresponding maintenance cost is reduced by 23.3%.The result shows the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed optimization method.

DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF UNDERGROUND COMPOSITE STRUCTURES UNDER EXPLOSION LOADING

In selecting rational types of underground structures resisting explosion,in order to improve stress states of the structural section and make full use of material strength of each part of the section,the research method of composite structures is presented. Adopting the analysis method of micro-section free body,equilibrium equations,constraint equations and deformation coordination equations are given. Making use of the concept of generalized work and directly introducing Lagrange multiplier specific in physical meaning,the validity of the constructed generalized functional is proved by using variation method. The rational rigidity matching relationship of composite structure section is presented through example calculations.

Buckling optimization of curvilinear fiber-reinforced composite structures using a parametric level set method

Owing to their excellent performance and large design space,curvilinear fiber-reinforced composite structures have gained considerable attention in engineering fields such as aerospace and automobile.In addition to the stiffness and strength of such structures,their stability also needs to be taken into account in the design.This study proposes a level-set-based optimization framework for maximizing the buckling load of curvilinear fiber-reinforced composite structures.In the proposed method,the contours of the level set function are used to represent fiber paths.For a composite laminate with a certain number of layers,one level set function is defined by radial basis functions and expansion coefficients for each layer.Furthermore,the fiber angle at an arbitrary point is the tangent orientation of the contour through this point.In the finite element of buckling,the stiffness and geometry matrices of an element are related to the fiber angle at the element centroid.This study considers the parallelism constraint for fiber paths.With the sensitivity calculation of the objective and constraint functions,the method of moving asymptotes is utilized to iteratively update all the expansion coefficients regarded as design variables.Two numerical examples under different boundary conditions are given to validate the proposed approach.Results show that the optimized curved fiber paths tend to be parallel and equidistant regardless of whether the composite laminates contain holes or not.Meanwhile,the buckling resistance of the final design is significantly improved.

Dynamic Analysis and Optimal Parameter Design of FlexibleComposite Structures via Absolute Nodal Coordinate Formulation

The composite structure with the dielectric elastomer and soft materials is the main form of theactuators in soft robots. However, the theoretical model is hard to obtain due to the nonlinear large deformationof materials. In this paper, a new composite element model is established based on the absolute nodal coordinateformulation. The consistent deformation conditions at the contact interface between two thin plates are deduced.The hyperelastic constitutive model and the dielectric elastomer constitutive model are introduced for the twothin plates. Then the dynamic model is established to study the dynamic behaviors of the composite flexiblestructure with various parameters. The results show that the nonlinear deformation appears obviously whenthe flexible composite plate structure is driven by various voltages, and the warping deformation becomes moreobvious with the increase of the voltage. The width and thickness of the driven thin plate influence the stabilityof the whole structure. With the decrease of the width or thickness, the deformation of the structure is moreconsistent with obvious periodicity, and the control performance is improved. Finally, the structural parametersof the composite structures are optimized to improve the control performance based on the dynamic performance.Additionally, smaller width and thickness parameters are preferred to obtain better performance in the design offlexible actuator of soft robot.

Successes and challenges in non-destructive testing of aircraft composite structures

Composite materials are increasingly used in the aerospace industry.To fully realise the weight saving potential along with superior mechanical properties that composites offer in safety critical applications,reliable Non-Destructive Testing(NDT)methods are required to prevent catastrophic failures.This paper will review the state of the art in the field and point to highlight the success and challenges that different NDT methods are faced to evaluate the integrity of critical aerospace composites.The focus will be on advanced certificated NDT methods for damage detection and characterization in composite laminates for use in the aircraft primary and secondary structures.

Improved Wavelet-based Spatial Filter of Damage Imaging Method on Composite Structures

Piezoelectric sensor array-based spatial filter technology is a new promising method presented in research area of structural health monitoring （SHM） in the recent years. To apply this method to composite structures and give the actual position of damage, this paper proposes a spatial filter-based damage imaging method improved by complex Shannon wavelet transform. The basic principle of spatial filter is analyzed first. Then, this paper proposes a method of using complex Shannon wavelet transform to construct analytic signals of time domain signals of PZT sensors array. The analytic signals are synthesized depending on the principle of the spatial filter to give a damage imaging in the form of angle-time. A method of converting the damage imaging to the form of angle-distance is discussed. Finally, an aircraft composite oil tank is adopted to validate the damage imaging method. The validating results show that this method can recognize angle and distance of damage successfully.

Reliability design optimization of composite structures based on PSO together with FEA

The present work aims to develop a method for reliability-based optimum design of composite structures. A procedure combining particle swarm optimization （PSO） and finite element analysis （FEA） has been proposed. Numerical examples for the reliability design optimization （RDO） of a laminate and a composite cylindrical shell are worked out to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. Then a design for composite pressure vessels is studied. The advantages and necessity of RDO over the conventional equi-strength design are addressed. Examples show that the proposed method has good stability and is efficient in dealing with the probabilistic optimal design of composite structures. It may serve as an effective tool to optimize other complicated structures with uncertainties.

Sn_(4)P_(3)-induced crystalline/amorphous composite structures for enhanced sodium-ion battery anodes

The optimization of anode materials such as Sn,P and Sn4P3 in terms of capacity and cyclability is crucial to improve the overall performance of sodium-ion batteries.However,the delicate fabrication of these materials,including the balanced crystalline/amorphous domains,reasonable particle size and distribution,complementary components exhibiting synergetic reactions,among others,still greatly retards the realization of maximum performance.Herein,a series of Sn/P-based composite materials with a plum pudding configuration were fabricated to achieve controlled crystalline/amorphous structures as well as optimized size and distribution in a carbon framework.By using a facile and low-cost ball milling method,the structural transformation of Sn4P3 into phase-separated crystalline Sn and amorphous P in a carbonaceous framework can be finely controlled,producing a series of binary(Sn4 P3/C),quaternary(Sn4P3/Sn/P/C) and ternary(Sn/P/C) composites.Due to the complementary components,crystalline/amorphous adjustment,crystallite sizes and well-integrated interfaces,the quaternary Sn4P3/Sn/P/C composite showed the best electrochemical performance,with a noticeable long-cycle performance of 382 mA hg-1 and 86% capacity retention for nearly 300 cycles.Different from binary and ternary composites,the discharge of quaternary composite generates no noticeable signals of Na15Sn4 and Na3 P in the ex-situ X-ray diffraction patterns,suggesting the crystallite growth of sodiation products can be depressed.Moreover,Sn4 P3 in the quaternary composite can be partially regenerated in the desodiation reaction,implying the significant short-range interaction and thus better synergetic reactions between Sn and P components.The results demonstrate that the design and organization of crystalline/amorphous structures can serve as an efficient strategy to develop novel electrode materials for sodium ion batteries.

Concurrent multi-scale design optimization of composite frame structures using the Heaviside penalization of discrete material model

This paper deals with the concurrent multi-scale optimization design of frame structure composed of glass or carbon fiber reinforced polymer laminates. In the composite frame structure, the fiber winding angle at the micro-material scale and the geometrical parameter of components of the frame in the macro-structural scale are introduced as the independent variables on the two geometrical scales. Considering manufacturing requirements, discrete fiber winding angles are specified for the micro design variable. The improved Heaviside penalization discrete material optimization interpolation scheme has been applied to achieve the discrete optimization design of the fiber winding angle. An optimization model based on the minimum structural compliance and the specified fiber material volume constraint has been established. The sensitivity information about the two geometrical scales design variables are also deduced considering the characteristics of discrete fiber winding angles. The optimization results of the fiber winding angle or the macro structural topology on the two single geometrical scales, together with the concurrent two-scale optimization, is separately studied and compared in the paper. Numerical examples in the paper show that the concurrent multi-scale optimization can further explore the coupling effect between the macro-structure and micro-material of the composite to achieve an ultralight design of the composite frame structure. The novel two geometrical scales optimization model provides a new opportunity for the design of composite structure in aerospace and other industries.

A Study on the Tensile Properties of the MWK Structures for Composite Reinforcement

In this paper, the tensile properties of the MWK structures produced with different basic stitches for composite reinforcement were experimentally studied. The results show that the MWK structures with the double loop pillar stitches have better mechanical properties.

Multilevel Tests and Measurement Evaluation Methods for the Application of Composite Materials in Spacecraft Structures

With the implementation of new-generation launch vehicles,space stations,lunar and deep space exploration,etc.,the development of spacecraft structures will face new challenges. In order to reduce the spacecraft weight and increase the payload,composite material structures will be widely used. It is difficult to evaluate the strength and life of composite materials due to their complex mechanism and various phenomena in damage and failure.Meanwhile,the structures of composite materials used in spacecrafts will bear complex loads,including the coupling loads of tension,pressure,bending,shear,and torsion. Static loads,thermal loads,and vibration loads may occur at the same time,which asks for verification requirements to ensure the structure safety. Therefore,it is necessary to carry out a systematic multi-level experimental study. In this paper,the building block approach (BBA) is used to investigate the multilevel composite material structures for spacecrafts. The advanced measurement technology is adopted based on digital image correlation (DIC) and piezoelectric and optical fiber sensors to measure the composite material structure deformation. The virtual experiment technology is applied to provide sufficient and reliable data for the evaluation of the composite material structures of spacecrafts.

Numerical investigation of the mechanical behavior of the backfill–rock composite structure under triaxial compression

To ensure safe and economical backfill mining,the mechanical response of the backfill–rock interaction system needs to be understood.The numerical investigation of the mechanical behavior of backfill–rock composite structure(BRCS)under triaxial compression,which includes deformation,failure patterns,strength characteristics,and acoustic emission(AE)evolution,was proposed.The models used in the tests have one rough interface,two cement–iron tailings ratios(CTRs),four interface angles(IAs),and three confining pressures(CPs).Results showed that the deformation,strength characteristics,and failure patterns of BRCS under triaxial compression depend on IA,CP,and CTR.The stress–strain curves of BRCS under triaxial compression could be divided into five stages,namely,compaction,elasticity,yield,strain softening,and residual stress.The relevant AE counts have corresponding relationships with different stages.The triaxial compressive strengths of composites increase linearly with the increase of the CP.Furthermore,the CP stress strengthening effect occurs.When the IAs are45°and 60°,the failure areas of composites appear in the interface and backfill.When the IAs are 75°and 90°,the failure areas of composites appear in the backfill,interface,and rock.Moreover,the corresponding failure modes yield the combined shear failure.The research results provide the basis for further understanding of the stability of the BRCS.

Vibration monitoring for composite structures using buckypaper sensors arrayed by flexible printed circuit

Fiber-reinforced resin-based plastics are widely used in structural composites for aerospace and automotive applications,and they often face extreme load conditions in actual working environments.It is challenging to monitor the damage of the structure during the vibration process.This study was aimed at using buckypaper(BP)sensors to monitor the structural health status of composite structures under ambient vibrations.First,the feasibility of flexible printed circuit instead of wire is verified by the tensile experiment.Then the vibration monitoring experiment of the composite cantilever beam is carried out by using BP sensors systematically.The sweep frequency experiment determines the excitation frequency of the cantilever beam.Low-period vibration fatigue cycle and high-period vibration fatigue cycle experiments are designed to verify the vibration monitoring method using BP sensors.Besides,the signal response of BP sensors in the vibration experiment is analyzed,and the relationship betweenΔR/R0 and vibration acceleration is obtained.Finally,through the change law ofΔR/R0 of the sensor,the cumulative damage caused by vibration fatigue is visualized.It is demonstrated that the monitoring method based on BP sensors can be applied to study the damage behavior of composite structure under the vibration environment.