Understanding Aircraft Composite Construction
by Zeke Smith
This book will introduce the non-engineer builder or technician to the general principles and techniques used in current composite aircraft construction. The assumption is made that the reader is a complete beginner with no prior knowledge of composite technology.
This book discusses three general areas:
1] basic theory of strong materials, structures, and composites
2] practical composite materials and structures in small aircraft
3] construction techniques used by the homebuilder and by prefabricated kit manufacturers
Read this book if you are considering building either a manufactured kit or an aircraft design from plans using any technology. Composite aircraft structures are designed differently from those using earlier technologies such as wood or metal. You will understand those differences, including the advantages of building with composites.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Strong Materials
basic materials principles
intuition about strong materials
forces in a solid
strength and structure
concrete and wood as structures
theoretical strength
why things break
toughness
Forces in Structures
beams panels and plates
shear
buckling of columns
Nature of Composite Materials
an introductory puzzle
two phase materials
compression loads
soft failure in metals and composites
environmental effects
Theory of Structural Sandwich
2D beam to 3D core panel
failure modes in beams and sandwiches
complex loads
Structural Fibers and Matrices
fabrics
other weaves
adding resin to fiber
types of resins
post curing
2 part resins
inhibited resins
Core Materials
wood
foam core materials
honeycomb cores
Joining Structures
adhesive joints
bushings and attachments
bonding continuing layups
Solid Core Structures
flat sandwich structures
Burt Rutan's composite sandwich
Basic Moldless Tools and Techniques
Rutan's original manual
small tools and supplies
storing, handling, and cutting fiberglass
peel ply: bond preparation
storing and measuring base resin
non structural fillers
joining foam block
prepreg strips
hot wire foam cutting
structural corners
repairs
the knife trim
finishing - the basic problems
Basic Moldless Core Layups
building a foam core wing
basic moldless solid core layup
laying up the bottom wing skin
laying up the top skin
finishing
Hollow Structures
alternatives to solid cores
the hollow wing
molded skin structures
Molt Taylor's paper airplanes
hybrid designs
the flutter problem
Making Molds
the sheet mold
forming a plug
molding directly on a male form
making a female mold
Using Molds and Vacuum
making an open layup in a female mold
vacuum bagging - introduction
basic vacuum bagging process
Conclusion & References
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RELATED LINKS:
- ...from the 'composites' Category
- > Aircraft Fiberglass 101
- > Basic Composite Construction Techniques
- > Advanced Composite Techniques
- > Composite Aircraft Construction
- > Advanced Composite Techniques
- > Understanding Aircraft Composite Construction
- > Composite Basics
- > Composite Basics
- > Advanced Composite Construction Techniques
- > KITPLANES Composites Series