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The purpose of this paper was to investigate and evaluate the influence of geometrical and structural design changes in order to reduce shear-lag and increase specific strength and stiffness of thin-walled composite I-beam wing spars.

A detailed FEM model of a cantilevered I-beam spar was used to investigate the influence of increased transition fillet radius and increased web sandwich core thickness on the shear-lag effect at different width to thickness ratios of flanges. Evaluation functions were used to assess specific strength and stiffness of different spar configurations.

Increased web core thickness has greater influence on normal stress distribution and the reduction of the shear-lag than fillet size. Additional weight of thicker core is not compensated enough through reduction of stress concentration. Increased transition fillet and web core thickness increase optimum flanges width to thickness ratio. Shear-lag reduces the strength of the spar more than the stiffness of the spar.

Findings in this study and detailed insight in the shear-lag effect are important for aircraft design when minimum weight of the airframe is of supreme importance.

This combined shear-lag and weight optimization study deals with composite I-beams and loads that are specific for aerospace engineering. This study does not only evaluate the shear-lag phenomena, but primarily analyses fine structural details in order to reduce it, and increases specific strength and stiffness of I-beam spars.

THE simplified method of stressing which follows is an extension of one first developed as a means of attacking the shear‐lag prob‐lem for a ship‐beam (Trans. N.E. Coast Inst, of Engrs., 1924–5). It is now extended to cover also axial stresses due to torsion and departure from the Batho torsion shear, a related subject. Shear‐lag and diffusion are closely connected and a theory which covers one should have at any rate a general application to the other; it is not, how‐ever, claimed for the present method that it is very suitable for use where the rates of diffusion are locally high, and its applicability to diffusion problems in general is a matter of judgment.This of course applies also to any corresponding method. The method is considered first for a girder of uniform transverse dimensions (no taper of depth or width) but with variation in scantlings along its length. Later the first‐order effect of tapered dimensions is considered. There may be longitudinal stiffeners at any point in the section, e.g. spar booms or stringers. The transverse sections of the girder are assumed to retain their dimensions with absolute rigidity.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with exceptional mechanical, thermal and electrical properties are considered to be ideal for reinforcing high-performance structures. The interfacial stresses between the CNTs and surrounding matrix are important phenomena which critically govern the mechanical properties of CNTs-reinforced nanocomposites. A number of methods have been proposed to investigate the stress transfer across the CNT/matrix interface, such as experimental measurement and molecular dynamics (MDs). Experimental tests are difficulty and expensive. MDs simulations, on the other hand, are computationally inefficient. The purpose of this paper is to present a reasonably simplified model. Incorporating the simplified model, the analytical expressions of the interface stresses including the shear stress and longitudinal normal stress are obtained.

The analytical model consists of two concentric cylinders, namely a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) cylinder and a matrix cylinder, as the representative volume element (RVE). The interfacial stress analysis is performed using the shear lag model for the axisymmetric RVE. Analytical solutions for the normal stresses in the SWCNT and matrix, and the interfacial shear stress across the SWCNT/matrix interface are obtained. The proposed model has a great ability to theoretical prediction of the stress transfer between the matrix and CNTs.

In order to demonstrate the simulation capabilities of the proposed model, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of the volume fraction of SWCNT and matrix modulus on the stress transfer. The axial stress in the matrix is decreasing with the increase of the volume fraction and decrease of the matrix modulus. As a result of more loads can be transferred to the SWCNT for a large volume fraction and small matrix modulus. These results show that using a large volume fraction and a small matrix modulus improves the efficiency of the stress transfer from the matrix to the CNTs.

A simple but accurate model using a simplified 2D RVE for characterizing the stress transfer in CNT-reinforced nanocomposites is presented. The predictions from the current method compare favourably with those by existing experimental, analytical and computational studies. The simple and explicit expressions of the interfacial stresses provide valuable analysis tools accessible to practical users.

The sustainability of the structures is not only a technical goal, but also a matter of social and environmental values. This requires the researchers to use very rigid, highly durable and corrosion-resistant composite structures in order to achieve the technical, environmental and social goals. The purpose of this paper is to present an original work on reducing the interfacial stresses of bonded structures with fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP) plates based on new taper design.

In this proposed concept, the effect of combined taper is investigated on reducing interfacial stresses, attempting to enhance the structure performance and address the debonding problem that comes with reinforcing techniques. This research is carried out by using finite element analysis, incorporating many new parameters.

As a result, a new solution is discovered that combined taper in both adhesive layer and composite laminate, which significantly reduces the interfacial stresses at the end of the FRP plate. Additionally, a parametric study is carried out in order to determine the optimal configurations of taper dimensions as well as other parameters that influence the stress concentration distribution at the edge of the adherends.

This new design regarding the reduction of interfacial stresses will help in increasing the lifespan of damaged structures reinforced by FRP composites, preserving thus its technical, historical and social values.

The paper uses straight, concave and convex fillets with inverse taper as a new design solution with new parameters including thermo-mechanical loads and pre-stressed FRP plate with multi-layer, fibre orientation and shear-lag effects.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the double-periodic lattice, composed of bending-resistant fibers. The essence of the model is that the filaments are of infinite length and withstand tension and bending. The constitutive equations of the lattice in discrete and differential formulations are derived. Two complementary systems of loads, which cause different deformation two orthogonal families of fibers, occur in the lattice. The fracture behavior of the material containing a semi-infinite crack is investigated. The crack problem reduces to the exactly solvable Riemann-Hilbert problem. The solution demonstrates that the behavior of material cardinally depends upon the tension in the orthogonal family of fibers. If tension in fibers exists, opening of the crack under action of loads in two-dimensional lattice is similar to those in elastic solid. In the absence of tension, contrarily, there is a finite angle between edges at the crack tip.

The description of stress state in the crack vicinity is reduced to the solution of mixed boundary value problem for simultaneous difference equations. In terms of Fourier images for unknown functions the problem is equivalent to a certain Riemann-Hilbert problem.

The analytical solution of the problem shows that fracture behavior of the material depends upon the presence of stabilizing tension in fibers, parallel to crack direction. In the presence of tension in parallel fibers fracture character of two-dimensional lattice is similar to behavior of elastic solid. In this case the condition of crack grows can be formulated in terms of critical stress intensity factor. Otherwise, in the absence of stabilizing tension, the crack surfaces form a finite angle at the tip.

Linear behavior of fibers until rupture. Small deflections. Perfect two-dimensional lattice.

The model provides exact analytical estimation of stresses on the crack tip as the function of fibers’ stiffness.

The model is the extension of known lattice models, taking into account the semi-infinite crack in the lattice. This is the first known closed form solution for an infinite lattice model with the crack.

TO deliver a lecture in commemoration of the Wright Brothers before the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences is a great honour of which I am deeply aware: this honour one feels is due not solely to the technical situation but to somemore subtle link between the Institute and the Royal Aeronautical Society and our two countries.

The free and harmonically forced flexural vibrations of missiles accelerating along initial trajectories are considered. A general matric formulation is given for the problem whereby the effects of variable inertial axial loads along the missile length, variable stiffness and material properties, variable mass, variable mass moment of inertia, variable shear stiffness, and variably distributed forcing functions are treated. The matric formulation of the problem is in standard eigenvalue form and no special coding will be required for organizations that currently are solving eigenvalue problems on electronic digital computers. The time required for an engineer to fill in the matrices of the basic matric equation governing the vibrations of a missile structure is quite small since only fundamental data are needed and almost all calculations are performed within the computer.

Under this heading are published regularly abstracts of all Reports and Memoranda or the Aeronautical Research Council, Reports and Technical Memoranda of the United States National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and publications of other similar Research Bodies as issued

IN so far as it is possible under wartime restrictions, the purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive picture of the more important problems in aircraft structural design and research in the interest of advancing the knowledge of those engaged in industries which formerly had but slight connexion with aeronautical engineering, but today are deeply involved in various phases of aircraft work. A similar objective was stated by Dr. A. G. Pugsley as follows:

Castellated and cellular beams achieved the same strength as solid I-beams with the same depth, resulting in significantly lighter and more economical structures. The purpose of this study is to analyse the bending behaviour of I-beam steel sections with certain web openings by finite element analysis.

The accuracy of finite element results allows extensive numerical analysis of sections with web openings, concentrating on the web opening sizes and web opening positions. These assumptions can increase the induced section load with various shapes of web opening depth and web opening shapes of c-hexagon, hexagon, octagon, circular and square. This also includes spacing distances, with a 50-mm edge and 150-mm centre-to-centre distance and a section with a 100-mm edge and 200-mm centre-to-centre distance. Generally, the adjustment of the opening geometry (by reducing the angle of web pitch or reducing the opening depth depending on analysed parameters) may influence the bending behaviour.

Additionally, Model 2 was found to be the optimum model compared to Model 1, mainly in terms of bending. Moreover, the I-beam with a c-hexagon shape opening exhibited the lowest displacement compared to other sections with other web opening shapes. Section with a different arrangement of web opening, Type E shows the lower displacement while higher displacement is observed for Type A and also higher displacement considered for Type G. The optimum model is associated with Type E, followed by Type D, compared to other types of certain web opening and I-beam.

The use of sections with different arrangements of web opening improved the performance of the perforated section in terms of structural behaviour, compared to typical I-beam, thus leading to economic design.