Strict weight reduction is required for aerospace vehicles as well as automobiles from the viewpoint of energy saving, and advanced composite materials have been frequently used because of their high specific strength and modulus. However, lightweight structural design that fully utilizes the characteristics of advanced composite materials has not yet been achieved. To overcome this difficulty, the Aerospace Structural Systems engineering Laboratory (ASSL) aims to enhance reliability of composite structures through modeling the lifecycle of composites from manufacturing to damage progress and fracture. Thorough accumulation of experimental and analytical knowledge, we aim to propose and realize design technologies that maximize the characteristics of composites, i.e., departure from conventional metal-based aircraft design methods.
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The Main Research Topics
•Modeling and strength evaluation considering complex microstructure of composite materials
•Development of crushing fracture analysis tool for composite materials and its application to elucidate impact absorption mechanism
•A new test method for interlaminar fracture toughness of composite laminates
•Modeling of manufacturing process of composite materials and structures