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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/I030034/1
Title Bridging the scales: from the toughness of small specimens to the damage tolerance of large aerospace panels
Status Completed
Energy Categories Renewable Energy Sources(Wind Energy) 1%;
Not Energy Related 99%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 50%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 50%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr ST Pinho
No email address given
Aeronautics
Imperial College London
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 July 2011
End Date 30 June 2014
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £380,944
Industrial Sectors Aerospace; Defence and Marine
Region London
Programme NC : Engineering
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr ST Pinho , Aeronautics, Imperial College London (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Dr P Robinson , Aeronautics, Imperial College London (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , Airbus UK Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , Dassault Systemes Simulia Ltd (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract The introduction of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) for major structural parts in commercial aircraft leads to the need to predict the mechanical response, including failure and damage tolerance for these materials. The difficulty in predicting accurately failure and damage tolerance lies both on the complexity of the failure processes and in the scale at which they occur. In fact, the scales at which failure must be analysed (micro meters) are much smaller than the typical aerospace component scale (metres), and it is well known that strength and toughness depend on component size.This proposal will address the above, by focusing on three challenges. Firstly, the project will assess how tough these composites are at opposing the propagation of cracks which break entire panels (mixed mode translaminar fracture toughness). In continuation, the failure processes will be looked at in detail, so that suitable micromechanical models may be developed. Finally, the project will focus on developing computer codes which will assist Engineers in more effectively designing composite components
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 22/09/11