Research on the crack of thermo-forming of aviation sandwich structure composed of composite materials and paper honeycomb

Abstract

During the forming of aramid paper honeycomb sandwich component of aircraft composites in the autoclave, the structure bears thermo-mechanical coupling case, and it may exist the phenomenon of the honeycomb crack during the forming. The tensile, compressive, shear and thermal properties of aramid paper honeycomb core are obtained by testing. Meanwhile, the numerical simulation of thermo-mechanical sequential coupling of the whole honeycomb sandwich component and the local core area are carried out by combining the finite element analysis method and the inversion method. The results show that the thermal stress during the forming process will not cause the adhesive layer between honeycomb cells to crack, but gas pressure will. The difference value of pressure difference between honeycomb cells required for adhesive layer′s slight destruction and complete destruction is positively related to the initial normal fracture stress of adhesive layer. The pressure difference required for the adhesive layer′s complete destruction is decreased with the increase of the number of loaded cells.

Keywords

• honeycomb sandwich structure
• thermo-forming
• crack
• finite element analysis
• cohesive zone elements