Abstract
The ability to steer the carbon fibre tape, varying the tow angle can open new designs of cylindrical shells – the main structural component of the space launcher vehicles. This research presents experimental and numerical investigation of two carbon-epoxy cylindrical shells – a cylinder with conventional layup made of unidirectional prepreg and a variable-stiffness cylinder manufactured by applying advanced fibre placement technology. The shells were tested in compression until buckling, measuring load-shortening and capturing the buckling shape by digital image correlation systems. For the purpose of modelling the variable-stiffness cylinder, a simplified stiffness approximation approach was applied. The obtained load-shortening curves and buckling shapes demonstrated good correlation with non-linear numerical models. The results of the investigation contributes to the understanding the phenomenon of buckling of variable-stiffness cylindrical shells, and the influence of initial geometric imperfections and thickness variations.
| Original language | English |
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| Title of host publication | ECSSMET 2018: 15th European Conference on Spacecraft Structures |
| Subtitle of host publication | 2018, Noordwijk, Netherlands |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
| Event | ECSSMET 2018: 15th European Conference on Spacecraft Structures - ESTEC/ESA, Noordwijk, Netherlands Duration: 28 May 2018 → 1 Jun 2018 |
Conference
| Conference | ECSSMET 2018: 15th European Conference on Spacecraft Structures |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | ECSSMET 2018 |
| Country/Territory | Netherlands |
| City | Noordwijk |
| Period | 28/05/18 → 1/06/18 |