Erosion characteristics of aircraft composite structures

Abstract

In commercial aircraft manufacturing, the use of composite materials has increased significantly over the last decade. In applications of aircraft composite components, the materials can be exposed to various operating environments. Erosion due to weather conditions and other present air particles such as hydrometeors, i.e., rain, hail, and ice, as well as sand, volcanic ash and dust resulting from residues in the atmosphere, are eminent and hazardous on the structure of a flying vehicle and may adversely influence the lifecycle of the structure. Erosion wear evaluation of in-service aircraft composite structures often depends on the procedures of the maintenance provider. This creates an inconsistency in the evaluation methods and associated repairs for erosion wear. A comparative study of erosion wear evaluation methods to understand erosion wear characteristics could limit inconsistencies and reduce costs of repair for erosion wear. Erosion wear characteristics of composite materials are defined by the erosion pattern, erosion rate, erosion mechanism, and erosion profile. Understanding material response to erosion will help in designing erosion resistant materials with better service life in targeted operating environments. The current research work focuses on understanding erosion wear characteristics of in-service aircraft composite structures and to conduct erosion test experiments to investigate the erosion wear characteristics of composite laminates.