Design and testing of a composite bird strike resistant leading edge

Abstract

The paper describes several innovative designs for a bird strike resistant composite leading edge for a Horizontal Tail Plane of an aircraft. These designs were based on a novel application of composites with high energy-absorbing characteristics: the tensor-skin concept. This paper describes the development of this energy-absorbing concept and its application to an impact resistant aircraft structure. The design philosophy, the fabrication and test of the first prototypes are discussed. Three improved leading edge structures with different energy-absorbing tensor concepts were manufactured. Bird-strike tests on these leading edges with a 4 lb synthetic bird at impact velocities around 100 m/s were performed. FE models were developed to simulate the unfolding of the tensor ply. Before each test was carried out, pre-test bird impact simulations were used to determine the impact test parameters and to predict the dynamic behaviour and failure mode of the structure.