Project Overview
Research Challenge
Composite materials are made from layers of reinforcing fibres combined with a polymer resin. Once cured the material behaves as one. It is possible to manipulate the directions of the fibres in specific layers to provide specific deformations under loads. This technology has been previously applied in the aeronautical and wind energy industries.
The project aims to improve the efficiencies of composite propellers, underwater turbines and marine control surfaces by tailoring the fibre architecture in the composite structure. In a simple box beam if the fibre direction on the upper and lower surfaces are mirrored a bend-twist response to load will occur.
Current Activities
Materials for passive adaptation
How do we get a beam to bend and twist when only a bending load is applied? This aspect involves changing the angle of the fibres in the composite material creating a bend-twist coupled beam. The beams are representative of the central spars generally found in high performance sailing catamarans. Digital Image Correlation was used to determine the twist angle. Manufacture of the beams, loading and instrumentation was conducted in the Transport Systems Research Laboratory.
Full field deformation measurement
An experimental methodology has been developed to assess the deformation of a multihull daggerboard under realistic loads. The technique involves the use of 3D Digital Image Correlation. Studies have been conducted to assess various speckle patterns to ensure accuracy of measurement. A bench test has been conducted to demonstrate the deformation of a daggerboard under static load.
Computational Fluid Dynamics
In order to determine the pressure forces being applied to the daggerboard under sailing conditions and to provide an input of pressure to a Finite Element Analysis, Computational Fluid Dynamics is used. The curved daggerboards are modelled in OpenFOAM. The next stage is to conduct a fluid-structure interactions analysis.