Airbus A330 / A340
Project Support (2010-2013)
Airbus A340-300 BLADE Outer Wing
Natural Laminar Flow Demonstrator
Significant contributions were made to the BLADE hybrid wing programme, with upper cover and leading edge made in CFRP and lower cover, spars and trailing edge made in metal. Some specific contributions are summarized as follows:
- The bending stiffness (EI) and torsional stiffness (GJ) of the wing were determined, taking into account the fixed Leading Edge (LE) and fixed Trailing Edge (TE) structures.
- An analytical method was developed for predicting thermal loads in the wing box components due to a change in temperature. With this analytical method, thermal loads/stresses in the wing box components in span-wise and chord-wise directions were determined, taking into account the leading edge and trailing edge structures.
- Analytical methods were used for calculating thermal loads at the attachment of the CFRP upper cover integral spar cap to the metallic front spar web. Two methods of analyses were used; (a) bolted lap joint calculations, taking into account the flexibilities of the fasteners and (b) classical laminate analysis.
- The thermal loads at Rib 28 structural joint were determined, covering the attachment of the metallic butt-strap to the CFRP upper cover, and the metallic tension fittings at upper stringer locations. The method of analysis was based on bolted lap joint calculations.
- The analytical methods for thermal loads calculations were validated against A400M TEST RIBS results and DFEM thermal models.
- An analytical methodology was developed and calculations were performed for Brazier loads, both crushing and pull-off, at every rib location, taking into account the influence of: a) thermal loads and thermal load induced curvatures for hot and cold cases, b) thermal load and mechanical load combinations at LIMIT and ULTIMATE conditions that include calculated build curvatures of the top and bottom wing covers, the fixed leading edge structure and the fixed trailing edge structure. Additional shear loads and bending moments exerted on the wing structure as a result of the calculated un-balance loads (on top/bottom covers, having different build curvatures) were estimated.
