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Use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics in aircraft construction

  • Published:
Mechanics of Composite Materials Aims and scope

Conclusions

  1. 1.

    Methods have been developed and perfected for calculating the deformation and strength characteristics of composite laminates in both the linear and nonlinear regions of behavior, with and without stress concentrations.

  2. 2.

    The properties of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) have been investigated experimentally for various reinforcing schemes, with and without stress concentrations, and at normal and elevated temperatures. It has been found that the loading rate in uniaxial tension affects the strength properties of the composite.

  3. 3.

    The fatigue characteristics of CFRP, with and without stress concentrations, have been investigated in asymmetric tension on a base of 106 cycles. The lifetimes are considerable and the fatigue curves have a shallow slope (m = 40). Cantilevel bending tests with a symmetric loading cycle and interlaminar shear tests, using the short-beam bending method, have also been carried out.

  4. 4.

    A procedure has been developed for calculating additional safety factors, taking as a basis the theory of reliability and the concept of probability of failure.

  5. 5.

    A unified finite-element method has been developed for calculating the stress-strain state of aircraft control surfaces made of composites and has been used to solve the problem of finding the optimum distribution of material (thickness and arrangement of the laminations) consistent with satisfaction of the static and acoustic strength requirements and possible technological constraints.

  6. 6.

    The results of using these methods to design the rudder of a supersonic passenger aircraft and the aileron and interceptor of a medium trunkline aircraft are presented.

  7. 7.

    The use of CFRP in such structures makes it possible to reduce the weight by on average 25% as compared with the weight of the metal structure and to improve the acoustic strength.

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Authors
  1. Yu. N. Rabotnov
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  2. A. A. Tupolev
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  3. V. F. Kut'inov
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  4. V. P. Kogaev
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  5. A. V. Berezin
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  6. V. V. Sulimenkov
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Additional information

Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 4, pp. 657–667, July–August, 1981.

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Rabotnov, Y.N., Tupolev, A.A., Kut'inov, V.F. et al. Use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics in aircraft construction. Mech Compos Mater 17, 455–465 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605914

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00605914

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