Sustainable and Cost Efficient High Performance Composite Structures demanding Temperature and Fire Resistance

Project Information

SuCoHS

Grant agreement ID: 769178

DOI

10.3030/769178

Project closed

EC signature date 12 June 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 28 February 2022

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Smart, Green And Integrated Transport

Total cost

€ 6 638 938,74

EU contribution

€ 6 638 938,74

Coordinated by

DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EV
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SuCoHS (Sustainable and Cost Efficient High Performance Composite Structures demanding Temperature and Fire Resistance)

Reporting period: 2020-03-01 to 2022-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Due to their high weight specific mechanical properties, fibre reinforced composite materials are increasingly utilized for high performance primary structures within aircraft wing and fuselage components. Yet, further exploitation is often limited due to rather high material and manufacturing costs including post-processing, concessions and rework. Additionally, very conservative engineering allowable are applied in order to account for uncertainties arising from manufacturing as well as operation phase. The SuCoHS project investigated potential weight and cost savings in expanding the use of composite materials in areas of demanding high thermal conditions (temperature and fire).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In particular, the SuCoHS project investigated new structural concepts with novel multi-material composites that can provide high resistivity against thermal, mechanical and fire loading. These developments also allow higher production rates. They help to make the manufacturing process cost competitive, by using minimal amounts of material and energy, while reducing the requirement for visual inspection or rework. New solutions for the monitoring of structural health are considered in order to enable maintenance activities based directly on the conditions of the structure and the load that it suffers.
3 industrial use cases were defined from real industrial design challenges to validate the new technologies and to demonstrate technical feasibility near to operation environment:
- High temperature nacelle component
- Composite aircraft interior shell
- Tail cone panel substructure

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

SuCoHS brought progress beyond the state of the art in the following fields:
- Material investigation, modification and testing for suiting high temperature and fire resistance requirements
- Automated manufacturing of tailored preforms made from new materials including SHM sensor integration
- Process monitoring of fibre layup and consolidation process including wireless communication and in-situ evaluation for process/ quality control
- Enhanced material models and structural analysis procedures considering uncertainties from manufacturing and loads
- Structural design concepts for temperature and fire resistant structures

Logo of the SuCoHS project