Novel Analytical Methods for Sandwich Core Termination Features

The proposed project will develop a structural analysis framework incorporating high performance composite design methodologies to predict the reliability of sandwich termination features. The sandwich core termination region offers many challenges to properly design and verify its structural integrity. Complexities such as numerous interacting failure modes and sensitivity to manufacturing variations make designing and analyzing the core termination region costly and time consuming. The work proposed by VEXTEC under this SBIR project will produce a composite damage propagation prediction tool. It will explicitly link state-of-the-art laminate design techniques with the mechanistic failure models. During the Phase II, the global local analysis will be combined with probabilistic methods to allow for consideration of manufacturing variability throughout the structure. This expanded and enhanced tool will look at multiple failure modes in addition to delamination while considering the variability associated with component geometry, materials, and loadings. The Phase II effort will be tailored to analyze a more complex component (e.g. a fastened panel). The overarching objective of this technical work is to develop a comprehensive probabilistic composite design and analysis prototype simulator tool.