Brady C. Lotz

ORCID Identifier(s)

0000-0002-7765-1763

Graduation Semester and Year

2016

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

First Advisor

Wen Chan

Abstract

Composite structures cured at a high temperature in a contoured female mold have a tendency to deform or spring-in when brought down to room temperature from cure temperature. This thesis investigates the effects of various structural parameters on the spring-in of the curved shape of a composite sandwich panel due to thermal deformation. A finite element model of a single curved composite sandwich panel is developed using 3D shell elements and validated against other published articles and classical lamination theory. Using a control structure of AS4/3501-6 carbon/epoxy with half inch Nomex honeycomb core with a layup of [0°/90°/0°/90°/Core/90°/0°/90°/0°]T, structural parameters are varied including core thickness, face sheet thickness, face sheet ply orientation, asymmetric face sheets, temperature delta, and structure radius. Core thickness variations using the control layup were found to decrease the total spring-in as core thickness (as well as bending stiffness) increased; however, as face sheet thickness increases for a constant core thickness, total spring-in increases. Cases using other quasi-isotropic face sheets other than 0°/90° layups were analyzed and found to correspond to the results from the face sheet thickness study.

Keywords

Composites, Sandwich panel, Sandwich, Curved, Thermal, Deformation, Spring-in

Disciplines

Aerospace Engineering | Engineering | Mechanical Engineering

Comments

Degree granted by The University of Texas at Arlington

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