Abstract
The electromagnetic performance of aerial platforms, which are composed mostly of nonmetallic materials, is a subject of great interest at present time. The behavior of this type of composite structure against electromagnetic environmental effects (E3), such as lightning, is not well-studied as in the case of metalic structures. The purpose of this article is to characterize the joints present in aerial platforms constructed mainly of nonmetallic composite materials. The study of these joints is fundamental because electrical discontinuities or preferential routes can produce changes in the electromagnetic behavior of an aircraft. The proposed measurement system for the characterization of these joints is a microstrip line. The flexibility of the test setup allows for evaluation of different joints in carbon fiber composite (CFC) samples with a different number of plies. Additionally, approximated models of the behavior of the joints as well as the detection of possible defects in the joining process are reported.
Highlights
In recent years, the use of nonmetallic composite materials for the design and manufacture of aeronautical platforms has become widespread [1]
The utilization of carbon fiber composite (CFC) has increased in aircraft structures because of their high strength and high stiffness per density compared with conventional metallic materials [2]
The currents of a lightning strike and the associated electromagnetic fields generated by them could penetrate inside any aerial platform and could produce disturbances in the electronics and processors that make up the avionics systems
Summary
The use of nonmetallic composite materials for the design and manufacture of aeronautical platforms has become widespread [1]. The aim of the UAVE3 project [4] and its continuation, the eSAFE-UAV project, is the study of these effects in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), where it is not rare that the main constituent material is CFC. The currents of a lightning strike and the associated electromagnetic fields generated by them could penetrate inside any aerial platform and could produce disturbances in the electronics and processors that make up the avionics systems. This threat is bigger in the case of vehicles with composite material structures [5,6]. The absence of uniformity in the conduction of electricity in the different directions makes the study of lightning effects on CFC structures especially important [7]
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