Finite Element Framework for Efficient Design of Three Dimensional Multicomponent Composite Helicopter Rotor Blade System

Arunabha M Roy

doi:10.3390/eng2010006

Abstract

In the present study, a three-dimensional finite element framework has been developed to model a full-scale multilaminate composite helicopter rotor blade. Tip deformation and stress behavior have been analyzed for external aerodynamic loading conditions and compared with the Abaqus FEA model. Furthermore, different parametric studies of geometric design parameters of composite laminates are studied in order to minimize tip deformation and maximize the overall efficiency of the helicopter blade. It is found that these parameters significantly influence the tip deformation characteristic and can be judiciously chosen for the efficient design of the rotor blade system.

Highlights

Composite materials have been used in helicopter rotor system for more than three decades for their overall stiffness, excellent strength-to-weight ratio, thermal properties, fatigue life, and wear resistance [1,2,3]
In the modern aircraft industry, advanced helicopter rotor blade systems are generally made of multicomponent composite materials such as carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy in different fiber orientations to meet specific design requirements [1,3,4,5,6,7,8]
The study on different aspect ratios and geometric configurations of such composite laminates are critical to minimize tip deformation and maximize the overall efficiency of the helicopter blade which leads to the efficient design of the rotor blade system

Summary

Introduction

Composite materials have been used in helicopter rotor system for more than three decades for their overall stiffness, excellent strength-to-weight ratio, thermal properties, fatigue life, and wear resistance [1,2,3]. The use of laminated carbon/epoxy and glass/epoxy composite has become widespread because of their high strength-to-weight ratio and because of the possibility of tailoring them to meet specific design requirements by selecting the fiber materials and their orientations to achieve maximum efficiency under severe axial, shear, bending, and torsional load during the maneuver of the helicopter [1,2] Due to their geometry, flexible rotor blade can often be treated as a three-dimensional elastic beam made of multicomponent unidirectional composite laminates [6,11,12,13]. The study on different aspect ratios and geometric configurations of such composite laminates are critical to minimize tip deformation and maximize the overall efficiency of the helicopter blade which leads to the efficient design of the rotor blade system

Methods

Results

Conclusion