Mechanics and Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures

1. Classical Lamination Theory

a. Short Overview of Materials. Composites Design Philosophy

b. Theory of Elasticity

c. Engineering Constants

d. Stress en Strain Transformations / Implications for Testing

e. Thin laminates

2. Progressive damage analysis

a. Failure criteria

b. First ply failure en Last ply failure

c. Damage tolerance analysis

3. Reliability analysis en Health monitoring

a. Probability of Failure en Uncertainty quantification

b. Structural Health Monitoring

4. Basic Stress Solutions and Buckling of Composite Plates

a. Typical Airframe Elements

b. Airframe Design Process, Materials en Damage

c. Plate Governing Equations / Solution of the PDE

d. Energy Minimization Methods

e. Buckling of Composite Plates

Parts A1 and A2 will be examined by means of a take-home assignment. The students should demonstrate correct understanding of the conditions and limitations of the applied methodologies and should prove their ability to solve design problems by the utilization of basic programming techniques and proper results interpretation. They can earn a maximum of 60 points according to the following breakdown:

A1. ABD and stress analysis of composite plates 10 points

A2. Progressive damage and damage tolerance analysis 20 points

A3. Reliability analysis en Health Monitoring. 30 points

Part B1 will be assessed on the basis a design problem. The design problem will address a realistic composite structure and will require use of all aspects of part (4) as well as use of the Classical Laminated Plate Theory (2) and Failure criteria (3) (see education method).

B1. Design problem 40 points

The maximum score a student can get is thus 100 points. There is no possibility to omit point-related exam parts, for example handing-in a report regarding only parts A1+B1. Every part (Part A1,A2,A3 and part B1) should at least be rewarded with 55% of the attributed points (55%*60 and 55%*40), otherwise the student will fail. In addition, the overall average grade should at least be a 58 on the basis of 100. Grades will be rounded to the nearest half as per regulations.

Students who have handed-in the initial assignments for both parts and have received an overall grade of 5.5 or lower are entitled to a resit assignment in the same academic year. In that case, the student should resit the failed part only. If the student grades higher than 5.5 (pass) and wants to amend the grade, should resit both parts. The date from which the resit assignments are available is announced on Brightspace but will always be during the July-August period.

Each assignment will have a deadline published on Brightspace. Deadlines must be met, no exceptions possible. Assignments are individual and if students work together on a design problem, they must state this in the report naming the collaborators and hand-in individual reports that are 100% original work. (no commonality!). Failure to do so will be seen as plagiarism.