Next generation of light-weight fuselage structures - Postbuckling simulation of fibre composite shells

Kurzfassung

Reduction of weight by about 20% in 10 years without prejudice to costs and safety is one main objective for the design of the next generation of aircraft structures. Increased use of advanced fibre composites for primary structures and exploitation of all structural reserves are indispensable to gain that end. Thus an actual demand emphasized by industry is to design fibre composite fuselage structures for postbuckling under ultimate load. In order to realize this economically, improved simulation tools and new design procedures are needed, because as yet the calculations are extremely time consuming and as such not applicable for design purposes. The European Commission is funding within the 5th Framework Programme the project POSICOSS ('Improved Postbuckling Simulation for Design of Fibre Composite Stiffened Fuselage Structures'). It merges knowledge and capabilities of industry and research in the fields of postbuckling simulation and fibre composites, aiming at the development of fast and reliable analysis and design procedures which deal with postbuckling behaviour of stiffened fibre composite fuselage panels. The results will be ready for immediate industrial application; they will not only reduce weight, but also diminish design and analysis time by an order of magnitude and thus constitute an substantial contribution to Concurrent/Integrated Engineering. The presentation introduces the project; it emphasizes the response to major demanding objectives of European aircraft industry, and it demonstrates the procedure how to meet these objectives. The main activities to be performed are envisioned, and first results are shown and evaluated.