USA flag logo/image

An Official Website of the United States Government

Biomimetics Based Design of Damage Tolerant Airframe Panels

Award Information

Agency:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 		Branch:
N/A 		Award ID:
55054 		Program Year/Program:
2001 / SBIR
Agency Tracking Number:
992025 		Solicitation Year:
N/A 		Solicitation Topic Code:
N/A 		Solicitation Number:
N/A
Small Business Information
Aerochem Corporation
PO Box 90087 Gainesville, FL 32607 0008
View profile »
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No
 
Phase 1
Fiscal Year: 2001
Title: Biomimetics Based Design of Damage Tolerant Airframe Panels
Agency: NASA
Contract: N/A
Award Amount: $0.00
 

Abstract:

The specific innovation proposed is to design an advanced composite airframe panel for damage tolerance by incorporating biologic solutions to a similar problem found in nature, using a biomimetic approach. We will identify principal material (fiber) directions and density profiles about naturally occurring holes in bones through a microscopic and radiographic techniques. These holes are known to be damage tolerant, as they clinically do not represent a fracture or fatigue failure initiation site. In addition to its novel microstructure, bone is also a 2 fiber composite material, consisting of stiff bone mineral crystals embedded in a scaffold of compliant collagen fibers. We will demonstrate the expected low stress concentrations about the hole through mechanical testing and moir¿ interferometry. We will then incorporate these principal material directions and density and use a 2 fiber system in a computational model of a representative airframe panel. This model will be used to demonstrate the advantages of biomimetic design. We believe biomimetic design principles can be used to reduce aircraft weight, as bones are weight optimized due to the energy expenditure required to carry such a relatively heavy tissue. Furthermore, by increasing damage tolerance, life cycle costs of airframes can be reduced significantly.

Principal Investigator:

Shao-Chun 1. Liu
Junior Engineer
scliu@aero.ufl.edu

Business Contact:

Bruce F. Carroll
President
3523924943
bfc@aero.ufl.edu
Small Business Information at Submission:

Aerochem Corporation
PO Box 90087 Gainesville, FL 32607

EIN/Tax ID:
DUNS: N/A
Number of Employees:
Woman-Owned: No
Minority-Owned: No
HUBZone-Owned: No