Abstract
The application of fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) composites as structural elements of air vehicles provides weight saving, which results in a reduction in fuel consumption, fuel cost, and air pollution, and a higher speed. The goal of this research was to elaborate a new optimization method for a totally FRP composite construction for helicopter floors. During the optimization, 46 different layer combinations of 4 different FRP layers (woven glass fibers with phenolic resin; woven glass fibers with epoxy resin; woven carbon fibers with epoxy resin; hybrid composite) and FRP honeycomb core structural elements were investigated. The face sheets were composed of a different number of layers with cross-ply, angle-ply, and multidirectional fiber orientations. During the optimization, nine design constraints were considered: deflection; face sheet stress (bending load, end loading); stiffness; buckling; core shear stress; skin wrinkling; intracell buckling; and shear crimping. The single-objective weight optimization was solved by applying the Interior Point Algorithm of the Matlab software, the Generalized Reduced Gradient (GRG) Nonlinear Algorithm of the Excel Solver software, and the Laminator software. The Digimat-HC software solved the numerical models for the optimum sandwich plates of helicopter floors. The main contribution is developing a new method for optimizing a totally FRP composite sandwich structure—due to its material constituents and construction—that is more advantageous than traditional helicopter floors. A case study validated this fact.
Highlights
At present, applications of new advanced materials and constructions, as well as innovative and environmentally friendly technologies, are needed both in the manufacturing and transport sectors to increase companies’ competitiveness and provide sustainability [1,2,3]
The newly designed lightweight sandwich plate of the helicopter floor consists of an fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP) honeycomb core and various types of face sheets including: (1) woven glass fiber with phenolic resin, (2) woven glass fiber with epoxy resin, (3) woven carbon fiber with epoxy
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Summary
Applications of new advanced materials and constructions, as well as innovative and environmentally friendly technologies, are needed both in the manufacturing and transport sectors to increase companies’ competitiveness and provide sustainability [1,2,3]. The most expensive and environmentally damaging transport mode is air transport. The main aims are reducing fuel consumption and reducing fuel costs, in addition to achieving less environmental damage and improvements in the efficient and safe operation of air transport [4,5,6]. Helicopters can perform many important and dangerous tasks, i.e., air ambulance, fire fighting, aerial surveillance, and rescue tasks. There are a lot of requirements, especially for helicopters, which are as follows: low weight; high speed; easy and safe maneuverability; cost-efficient operation (low fuel consumption); and safe transportation (e.g., reliability, crashworthiness) [7,8]. Crashworthiness is an important requirement relating to helicopters because the structure of helicopters has to withstand an impact and protect the helicopters’
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