EPJ Web of Conferences 183, 01007 (2018)
https://doi.org/10.1051/epjconf/201818301007

Bird strike on aircraft radome: Dynamic characterisation of quartz fibre composite sandwich for accurate, predictive impact simulations

¹ Airbus Operations, 21129 Hamburg, Germany
² Airbus Central R&T, 81663 Munich, Germany
³ Airbus Defence and Space, 85077 Manching, Germany

^* Corresponding author : sebastian.heimbs@airbus.com

Published online: 7 September 2018

Abstract

This study assesses the bird strike resistance of the satellite communication (SatCom) radome of a medium altitude, long endurance (MALE) remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS), which is designed as a lightweight sandwich structure with thin quartz fibre composite skins and a cellular honeycomb core. In order to perform accurate, predictive numerical bird strike simulations, the building block approach was applied, involving extensive experimental characterisation and model validation of the materials and structures from simple coupon level up to full-scale radome level. Coupon tests of the quartz fibre composite skin material under high-rate dynamic loading revealed significant strain rate effects, which needed to be taken into account in the simulation model in order to predict the structural response under high-velocity bird strike loading. In summary, this work presents a systematic and detailed approach for obtaining validated modelling methods for high-velocity impact analyses, which could be used efficiently for various design and parameter studies during the development of the SatCom radome.