Component testing of sandwich structures with more realistic boundary conditions

As part of the design process for aircraft cabin monuments, the loads on the fasteners, like inserts are determined using global FEM and are compared with allowables of the fasteners. The allowables are determined in component tests, which currently have highly idealized boundary conditions, resulting in high safety factors being added. In this paper, application-oriented component tests with realistic boundary conditions for insert systems are proposed, experimental investigations are performed on them, and virtual models are implemented. The studies show that the boundary conditions have a great influence on the structural behavior and the failure mechanisms of the sandwich structure and the insert system. The results further prove that tests with application-oriented loading situations should be used to validate detailed virtual models, e.g. to ensure their use as submodels in the global FEM analysis of large sandwich structures. In addition, an example is given to show how such a component test with realistic boundary conditions can be used in the design optimization of the load introduction.

Subjects

Boundary conditions

Component testing

Insert

Sandwich structures

Virtual testing

DDC Class

620: Engineering

690: Building, Construction

Options

Component testing of sandwich structures with more realistic boundary conditions