Southampton engineers lead £6.9m research into lightweight aircraft structures

Researchers at the University of Southampton will develop the scientific foundations for more structurally efficient and lightweight airframes in a new £6.9 million programme grant.

The study, which includes several university and industry partners, is seeking to overcome barriers in the design and manufacture of composite aero structures.

The research will look to shape the future of aviation, by driving reduced weight, cost and time for development and testing, through integration of virtual testing and advanced data-rich experimentation of aero structure components and substructures.

Principal Investigator Professor Ole Thomsen , from Southampton’s Infrastructure research group , says: “Using world class expertise, this programme grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council will enhance the UK position in the technical revolution that embraces new materials and processes, by addressing an urgent need in aero structures design.”

Maximising advanced composite aero structures is restricted by current test, simulation and certification approaches. The programme grant seeks to break this impasse by reshaping the so-called ‘testing pyramid’, which is the backbone of current validation and certification processes.

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