The Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics, as part of the Cluster of Excellence for Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Aviation Structures, is focused on developing innovative solutions for laminarising transonic transport aircraft. Our research has shown promising results with micro-perforated carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) sheets, which exhibit high-quality perforations and exceptional mechanical strength while maintaining an extremely lightweight design. However, uncertainty quantification studies on Hybrid Laminar Flow Control (HLFC) technologies have highlighted the critical role of accurate porosity in micro-perforated sheets for successful laminarisation.
Unlike metal sheets, it remains uncertain whether unintended porosity exists in thin, micro-perforated CFRP sheets due to micro-cracks induced by low temperatures at flight altitudes and residual stresses from the manufacturing process. To address this, the Institute of Mechanics and Adaptronics aims to simulate crack growth in CFRP sheets under thermal loading to quantify their impact on sheet porosity.
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