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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: EP/I030034/1
Title: Bridging the scales: from the toughness of small specimens to the damage tolerance of large aerospace panels
Principal Investigator: Pinho, Professor ST
Other Investigators:
Robinson, Professor P
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Airbus Operations Limited Dassault Systemes
Department: Aeronautics
Organisation: Imperial College London
Scheme: Standard Research
Starts: 01 July 2011 Ends: 30 June 2014 Value (£): 380,944
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Eng. Dynamics & Tribology Materials testing & eng.
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Aerospace, Defence and Marine
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Panel DatePanel NameOutcome
16 Feb 2011 Materials, Mechanical and Medical Engineering Announced
Summary on Grant Application Form
The introduction of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) for major structural parts in commercial aircraft leads to the need to predict the mechanical response, including failure and damage tolerance for these materials. The difficulty in predicting accurately failure and damage tolerance lies both on the complexity of the failure processes and in the scale at which they occur. In fact, the scales at which failure must be analysed (micro meters) are much smaller than the typical aerospace component scale (metres), and it is well known that strength and toughness depend on component size.This proposal will address the above, by focusing on three challenges. Firstly, the project will assess how tough these composites are at opposing the propagation of cracks which break entire panels (mixed mode translaminar fracture toughness). In continuation, the failure processes will be looked at in detail, so that suitable micromechanical models may be developed. Finally, the project will focus on developing computer codes which will assist Engineers in more effectively designing composite components.
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Organisation Website: http://www.imperial.ac.uk