Available online at www.sciencedirect.com SCIENCE DIRECT PROGRESSIN SCIENCES ELSEVIER Progress in Acrospace Sciences 41(2005)143-151 www.elsevier.com/locate/pacrosci Fibre reinforced composites in aircraft construction C.Soutis* Aerospace Engineering.The of Sheffield.Mappin Street.Sheffield SI 3JD.UK Abstract Fibrous h 1.in Nort ahility to shan and tailor their structure to produce mor review odvances using composiesn modemrraft coniructons or Ipolymers,especially ca rced plastics(CFRP)can and mputational simulation of the manufacturing and assembly process as well as the simulation of the performance of the structure. s reserved. Contents Background ..143 4. References.. 150 1.Background ration basis,to military aircraft spoilers.ruddersand doors.With increasing appicti y of on fibre at the o al Aircraft Estab- ras(the osts and the astics)result ishment at Farnborough.UK.in 1964.However,not ing in carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP)compo until the late 1960s did these new composites start to be aluminium and titanium alloys,for primary structures High strength,high modulus carbon fibres are about 376-0421/s.seo dot10.1016fp4 erosc.2005.02.004 2005 Elsevier Ltd.All rights Progress in Aerospace Sciences 41 (2005) 143–151 Fibre reinforced composites in aircraft construction C. Soutis
Aerospace Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield S1 3JD, UK Abstract Fibrous composites have found applications in aircraft from the first flight of the Wright Brothers’ Flyer 1, in North Carolina on December 17, 1903, to the plethora of uses now enjoyed by them on both military and civil aircrafts, in addition to more exotic applications on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), space launchers and satellites. Their growing use has risen from their high specific strength and stiffness, when compared to the more conventional materials, and the ability to shape and tailor their structure to produce more aerodynamically efficient structural configurations. In this paper, a review of recent advances using composites in modern aircraft construction is presented and it is argued that fibre reinforced polymers, especially carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) can and will in the future contribute more than 50% of the structural mass of an aircraft. However, affordability is the key to survival in aerospace manufacturing, whether civil or military, and therefore effort should be devoted to analysis and computational simulation of the manufacturing and assembly process as well as the simulation of the performance of the structure, since they are intimately connected. r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Contents 1. Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143 2. Design and analysis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 3. Manufacture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 4. Applications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148 5. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150 1. Background The adoption of composite materials as a major contribution to aircraft structures followed from the discovery of carbon fibre at the Royal Aircraft Estab￾lishment at Farnborough, UK, in 1964. However, not until the late 1960s did these new composites start to be applied, on a demonstration basis, to military aircraft. Examples of suchdemonstrators were trim tabs, spoilers, rudders and doors. Withincreasing application and experience of their use came improved fibres and matrix materials (thermosets and thermoplastics) result￾ing in carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) compo￾sites withimproved mechanical properties, allowing them to displace the more conventional materials, aluminium and titanium alloys, for primary structures. High strength, high modulus carbon fibres are about ARTICLE IN PRESS www.elsevier.com/locate/paerosci 0376-0421/$ - see front matter r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.paerosci.2005.02.004
Tel.: +44 11 42227706; fax: +44 11 42227729. E-mail address: c.soutis@sheffield.ac.uk