Simulation of lightning strike damage in carbon nanotube doped CFRP composites

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding the damage behavior caused by the lightning strike of carbon nanotube (CNT) doped carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites. Quasi isotropic CFRP laminated composite plates used in aerospace structures are modeled to investigate behavior of lightning strike damage. Abaqus finite element program is used in the analysis to study the effect of different waveforms and peak currents. First coupled electrical and thermal analysis is carried out using multi-physics, the results of which are verified with the experimental data obtained in open literature. In the next step, it is assumed that CNTs in different weight percentage are added to resin and the electrical properties of the CFRP plate are updated to run coupled thermal electrical analysis. The results show that the damage area in each ply and the depth of the damage are not linear under the effect of either different waveforms or maximum strike currents. When the weight percentage of CNT doped into the resin increases, the damage region substantially decreases because the electrical conductivity through the thickness of the plate plays significant role for the lightning strike damage.