Paper number 349

COMPRESSION AFTER IMPACT (CAI) BEHAVIOR OF CF/PIXA STIFFENED PANELS FOR HSCT EMPENNAGE

Takashi Ishikawa^*, Masamichi Matsushima^*, Eugene Keng Goy Lim#, Yoichi Hayashi& and Murray L. Scott$

*: Airframe Division, National Aerospace Laboratory
6-13-1 Ohsawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181,JAPAN
#: Department of Aerospace Engineering, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology(RMIT)
&: Tokyo Business Service Co. LTD
$: Centre Director, Sir Lawrence Wackett Centre for Aerospace Design Technology, RMIT
GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia

Summary

Compression after impact (CAI) behavior of stiffened panels using T-shaped stringers made of heat resistant thermoplastic composites, CF/PIXA, was obtained by tests at room and elevated temperatures of 180 deg. C. Excellent impact resistance was verified for this composite system particularly for stiffened panels with the special fusion bonding film. Room temperature CAI strengths of CF/PIXA stiffened panels were found to be slightly better than CF/PEEK stiffened panels. Relationships between temperature and CAI strengths for CF/PIXA stiffened panels were compared with the results for flat plates and a compatibility between flat plate strengths and stiffened panel strength was identified. It is clarified that damage tolerance properties of CF/PIXA stiffened structure are so remarkable at room temperature that almost no strength reduction was observed. Its damage tolerance capability is quite excellent also at high temperature for High Speed Civil Transport structure.

Keywords

experiments, impact, heat resistant thermoplastic composites, fusion bonding, ultrasonic C-Scan, local buckling, failure mode.