Ian Wilmut 12

th
August 2008
An attempt to understand honeycomb cored CFRP panels in ANSYS
1. INTRO!CTION
The benefits of building CFRP panels with a honeyomb o!e a!e widely app!eiated"
#e!e a low ost$ low modulus %in the & and y di!etions' o!e is bonded between two
a!bon fib!e s(ins and then when the panel is loaded in bending the two s(ins a!e well
plaed to p!o)ide good bending stiffness$ whilst the o)e!all panel (eeps its low mass
p!ope!ties" What is less well unde!stood is how these panels beha)e when sub*eted to
in plane tension omp!ession" This note is a olletion of A+,-, studies that t!y to
unde!stand this issue"
". RATIONA#
To fi!st o!de! it is e&peted that the tensile.omp!essi)e p!ope!ties of a honeyomb
panel would be )e!y lose to that of the two s(ins" This is beause the o!e has )e!y
low modulus %/10pa fo! the o!e !athe! than /1200pa fo! the s(ins'" 0y ontention
with this assumption$ is that it fails to ta(e into aount the stiffening of the o!e by
the s(ins" If the o!e was onside!ed to be a pin *ointed st!utu!e that the s(in
t!iangulated it should be lea! that the membe!s of the o!e would a!!y a p!opo!tion
of the fo!es applied to the unit$ and would thus stiffen the system"
$. ANSYS %O&#
A simple A+,-, model was built with two s(ins and 8 he&agonal elements in
between" 1oads and onst!aints a!e applied to the top and bottom of the s(ins and the
body loaded" A full opy of the model an be found in appendi& A" The omplete
model loo(s li(e this2
3asi model Contou! plot unde! load
'. R&S!#TS
Fo! a !ange of o!e thi(nesses and s(in thi(nesses !esults we!e ta(en with and
without the o!e in plae$ fo! eah of these an app!o&imation was ta(en of the models
)olume in an attempt to 4ualify the ma!tial ont!ibutions" The !esults an be seen in
the table below2
Page 1 of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
Inputs A+,-, )alues App!o& mate!ial
,(in
Thi(ness
%m'
CFRP
thi(ness
%m'
Cell #alf
,i5e %m'
6ifletion
with o!e
6iffletion
w7out o!e
8 ta(en
by o!e
s(in )ol m9: o!e )ol m9: sum 8 )ol
of the
o!e
0"0002 0"0001 0"00: 8";0<70= 0";>8 ?"?00<708 @";:@<708 1"@:<70> :@";;8
0"0002 0"00001 0"00: 8">?<70= 0"@>8 ?"?00<708 @";:@<70? 1"0;<70> @"208
0"0002 0"0002 0"00: >"8?<70= 10">@8 ?"?00<708 1"08><70> 2"08<70> @2":;8
0"000: 0"0001 0"00: @"8=<70= 0"@18 1";8@<70> @";:@<708 2"0:<70> 2=">?8
0"000; 0"0000@ 0"00@ ="?:<70= >"02<70= 1"288 @"@00<70> ;"@2?<708 @"?@<70> >"=18
0"000; 0"0001 0"00@ ="8;<70= >"02<70= 2"@=8 @"@00<70> ?"0@?<708 =";1<70> 1;"1;8
0"000;1=;>
1
0"0000>
@
0"00@ ="=1<70= =">;<70= 1"?:8 @">2=<70> =">?;<708 =";1<70> 10"=18
0"000;:2?;
1
0"0000@ 0"00@ =";1<70= =";8<70= 1"088 @"?@:<70> ;"@2?<708 =";1<70> >"0>8
0"000;;?;1
1
0"00002
@
0"00@ ="21<70= ="2@<70= 0"=;8 ="1>?<70> 2"2=@<708 =";1<70> :"@;8
It an immediately be seen that in some ases the o!e is ont!ibuting to the o)e!all
panel st!ength" ,o the!e is e!tainly a !eal ont!ibution f!om the o!e" We will now go
fo!wa!d to onside! some mo!e speifi 4uestions"
'.1 Is material better in the core or s(ins)
The final ; ases we!e an attempt to unde!stand the !elati)e ondition of the s(in and
o!e" The total panel )olume !emains the same and the mate!ial is shifted between
o!e and s(ins" If this is g!aphed %below' it an be seen that the panel disto!ts mo!e
when the mate!ial is not pa!t of the s(ins" This suggests that fo! small samples whe!e
bu(ling is not an issue then )e!y light small o!es a!e bette! as the s(ins a!!y most
of the load
Distortion of CFRP honeycomb panel
0.00%
2.00%
4.00%
6.00%
8.00%
10.00%
12.00%
14.00%
16.00%
6.10E-
06
6.20E-
06
6.30E-
06
6.40E-
06
6.50E-
06
6.60E-
06
6.70E-
06
6.80E-
06
6.90E-
06
distortion under load (m)
c
o
r
e

m
a
s
s

a
s

a

%
a
g
e

o
f

t
o
t
a
l

m
a
s
s
constant mass panel
'." Can the core pro*ide any real support to the structure)
6epending upon the e&at geomet!y of the o!e it an ta(e 4uite a signifiant
p!opo!tion of the load upon the panel" In one ase it p!o)ided / 118 of the stiffness of
the panel$ it should be noted that this was at a @08 mate!ial ost howe)e!"
'.$ So +hat is the modulus o, the core and is the sti,,enin- e,,ect hi-her than
e.pected)
+e&t a small sample of fou! o!es we!e loaded"
Core CFRP Cell & /pa0 & /%pa0
Page 2 of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
thic(ness /m0 Si1e /m0
2.22221 0"00@ 1>>?1"??= 0"01>>?2
2.2221 0"00@ 2?2:2?2"@ 2"?2:2?:
2.2221 0"00: 1:;111@="
1
1:";111=
2.22221 0"00: :?>8?"818
>
0"0:?>?
All ha)e )e!y low modulus"
A seond model was built with a solid o!e with a o!e modulus e4ui)alent to the o!e
only )alue" This was loaded fi!stly with the o!e ha)ing a modulus of 1 %in!edibly
low' to onfi!m that the two models we!e e4ui)alent" It was then loaded with the o!e
ha)ing a modulus of 2"?20pa$ and a Poison !atio of 0": %this )alue has no
*ustifiation'" The !esults of this we!e then ompa!ed to the e4ui)alent honeyomb
model" The !esults a!e shown below"
%odel S(in
Thic(ness
/m0
Cell
si1e
/m0
Panel
thic(ness
/m0
di,, under load
/m0
&ither 0"000; 0"00@ 0"01 ="8;<70=
3C 0"000; 0"00@ 0"01 >"02<70=
Isotropic
core
0"000; 0"00@ 0"01 ="8=<70=
It an be lea!ly seen that the honeyomb o!e p!o)ides g!eate! stiffness than its
modulus alone would suggest" <&atly how muh will depend on the hoie of o!e
and s(in dimensions"
'.' So ho+ much load can the core really carry)
Clea!ly the answe! to this is )e!y dimension dependant" Refe!!ing ba( to the o!iginal
table we an see that in one ase the o!e a!!ies 118 of the load whist ta(ing /@08
of the mate!ial" Whist this seems a bad use of mate!ial it must be !emembe!ed that the
o!e mate!ial will ome in only e!tain shapes and si5es" This may mean that should
we use thin s(ins as p!oposed %0"2mm' the o!e will end up being 4uite signifiant"
Fo! instane the AT1A, endap !ea! wing was a Ao!e& o!e with 0"1mm o!e wall
thi(ness and ;mm ell diamete! %ell si5e B 0"002 as pe! the naming used he!e'" If
this fille! was used with 0"2mm s(ins %C, module !e)iew p!oposal' then the o!e
would fo!m ?08 of the panel %assuming it is CFRP'" This will almost e!tainly a!!y
signifiant load ma(ing the panel st!onge! than e&peted"
A 4ui( study of samples in ou! mate!ial testing lab found so o!e samples with less
than 0"1mm thi(ness"
'.4 So +hat load does the core ta(e ,or a CFRP core +ith 2."mm s(ins)
+atu!ally it is inte!esting to onside! how muh ont!ibution the o!e will ta(e in a
panel with 0"2mm s(ins and 0"1mm o!e wall" #e!e a ;"2@8 stiffening effet omes
f!om the honeyomb" A 0o!e !ealisti model might be a 0": honeyomb wall$ this
was the thinnest CFRP honeyomb I ould find a!ound the lab$ and a 11"@8 stiffening
is found fo! a @08 mass ont!ibution"
Page : of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
4. CONC#!SIONS
In plane omp!ession of CFRP honeyomb ma(es )e!y bad use of the honeyomb
mate!ial$ so it should logially be minimised to the ba!e minimum to p!e)ent whate)e!
bending loads a!e p!esent"
#owe)e!$ should omme!ial a)ailability onst!ains fo!e a massi)e %!elati)e' o!e then it
is li(ely to ma(e a onside!able ont!ibution to the panel st!ength"
A foam o!e of e4ui)alent modulus p!o)ides negligible %/0"28' stiffening"
In the e)ent that the o!e !ep!esents @08 of the panel mate!ial then a 108 stiffening of
the panel an be e&peted abo)e assuming the o!e has no st!utu!al ont!ibution"
F!om this study it would seem that the most effeti)e use of mate!ial will be to ha)e the
lightest possible o!e$ p!obably with la!ge ells$ and a thin wall" This will ont!ibute some
panel st!ength and this an eithe! allow a thinning of the s(ins$ o! be used to offset lowe!
than e&peted CFRP modulus at low load"
5. #I%ITATIONS
The model assumes isot!opi p!ope!ties fo! all mate!ials" This is belie)ed to be a fai!
assumption fo! thin multi ply s(ins %4uasi7isot!opi'"
The onst!ains of this model a!e not !eally !ight$ it would ha)e been bette! to onst!ain
one o!e! in all = deg!ees of f!eedom and then the !est of the onst!ained edges in *ust
one"
The honey omb is po!t!ayed as pe!fet he&agons" This is naD)e" The he&agons will not be
pe!fet that will ause a loss in modulus and a p!opo!tion of the membe!s will be double
due to the onst!ution of the o!e %see the )e!y poo! diag!am below'$ whih will
p!obably in!ease the modulus"
_ _ _ _
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
|
_ _ V _ _
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_
6. N&7T ST&PS
This study is ompletely abst!at$ if it is found that the o!e will p!o)ide a la!ge
mate!ial ont!ibution then this study should be !epeated with !eal dimensions and
mate!ial pa!amete!s" The study should also be deepened to ma(e su!e that things a!e
!eally as this study suggests" Fo! instane2
This study only e&plo!ed loading the o!e in one di!etion$ a!e things bette! o! wo!se at
anothe! angleE
If we need a la!ge po!tion of o!e would we be bette! with an e&panded foam o!eE It may
be wo!se in beam stiffness but signifiantly bette! in a&ial omp!ession"
6oes e&pe!imentation suppo!t these !esultsE
Fi)en the slightly hapha5a!d natu!e of !eal honeyomb st!utu!es an we !eally see this
so!t of benefitE
,hould we deide that e&pe!imentation is !e4ui!ed it would be wo!th onside!ing the use
of isot!opi s(ins and o!es %aluminium fo! instane' to get away f!om the non linea!ity of
CFRP modulus at low loads"
Page ; of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
th
August 2008
Appendi& a
Ansys ma!o fo! honeyomb o!e$ omment lines out as di!eted to swith s(ins and
#C on and off and mo!e load o! not"
finish
.C1<AR$,TART
Gabb!$doit$f!pH#C2"ma
.input$sta!t110$ans$I2JP!og!amFilesJAnsysInJ)110JA+,-,JapdlJI$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$1 KTn=Ai!ibati
K.input$sta!t100$ans$Id2JP!og!amFilesJAnsysInJ)100JA+,-,JapdlJI$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$1 KTn2+ewbo!ough
.PR<P>
KG
K)aluesofpa!amete!s
KFeomet!y
s(inHthi(nessB0"000:
f!pthi(nessB0"0001
ellHsi5eB0"00@
panelHthi(nessB0"01
K0ate!ialP!ope!ties
f!pyoungB1"8=e11
f!ppoissB0":
f!pdensB1@00
hyoungBf!pyoung
hpoissBf!ppoiss
hdensBf!pdens
<T$1$,#<11?: K8 node t!iangle fo! lamp
KReal 1L2 $shell elements fo! !ib
R$1$s(inHthi(ness
!$2$f!pthi(ness
Kmate!ialdefinition
K0at1%s(in'
mp$e&$1$f!pyoung
mp$dens$1$f!pdens
mp$p!&y$1$f!ppoiss
K0at2%#C'
mp$e&$2$hyoung
mp$dens$2$hpdens
mp$p!&y$2$hpoiss
.<,#AP<$1
.MI<W$1$70":=1::8??01=@$70"@?0??82:?==0$0">2121>8=?2:=
.A+F$1$7=8"0?20=80?=?
.6I,T$1$1"08222=:8;?2$1
KGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG#oneyombGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
($1$0GellHsi5e$1GellHsi5e$0
($2$0"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$0"@GellHsi5e$0
($:$0"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$70"@GellHsi5e$0
($;$0GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$0
($@$70"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$70"@GellHsi5e$0
($=$70"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$0"@GellHsi5e$0
($>$1">:20@0808GellHsi5e$1GellHsi5e$0
($8$2"@?80>=211GellHsi5e$0"@GellHsi5e$0
($?$2"@?80>=211GellHsi5e$70"@GellHsi5e$0
($10$1">:20@0808GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$0
($11$:";=;101=1@GellHsi5e$1GellHsi5e$0
($12$;"::012>01?GellHsi5e$0"@GellHsi5e$0
($1:$;"::012>01?GellHsi5e$70"@GellHsi5e$0
($1;$:";=;101=1@GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$0
($1@$0GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$0
($1=$0"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$:"@GellHsi5e$0
($1>$0"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$2"@GellHsi5e$0
($18$0GellHsi5e$2GellHsi5e$0
($1?$70"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$2"@GellHsi5e$0
($20$70"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e$:"@GellHsi5e$0
($21$1">:20@0808GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$0
($22$2"@?80>=211GellHsi5e$:"@GellHsi5e$0
($2:$2"@?80>=211GellHsi5e$2"@GellHsi5e$0
($2;$1">:20@0808GellHsi5e$2GellHsi5e$0
($2@$:";=;101=1@GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$0
($2=$;"::012>01?GellHsi5e$:"@GellHsi5e$0
($2>$;"::012>01?GellHsi5e$2"@GellHsi5e$0
($28$:";=;101=1@GellHsi5e$2GellHsi5e$0
($1000$0$0$0
($1001$0$0$panelHthi(ness
l$1000$1001 Kline to d!ag along
1$1$2
$2$:
$:$;
$;$@
$@$=
$=$1
$2$>
$>$8
$8$?
$?$10
Page @ of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
$10$:
l$8$11
$11$12
$12$1:
$1:$1;
$1;$?
$1@$1=
$1=$1>
$1>$18
$18$1?
$1?$20
$20$1@
$1=$21
$21$22
$22$2:
$2:$2;
$2;$1>
$22$2@
$2@$2=
$2=$2>
$2>$28
$28$2:
$1$18
$>$2;
$11$28
ad!ag$2$:$;$@$=$>$1
ad!ag$8$?$10$11$12$$1
ad!ag$1:$1;$1@$1=$1>$$1
ad!ag$18$1?$20$21$22$2:$1
ad!ag$2;$2@$2=$2>$28$$$1
ad!ag$2?$:0$:1$:2$::$$1
ad!ag$:;$$$$$$1
ad!ag$:@$$$$$$1
ad!ag$:=$$$$$$1
($100$71GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$0
($101$71GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$0
($102$;"@GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$0
($10:$;"@GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$0
l$100$101
$101$102
$102$10:
$10:$100
al$11;$11@$11=$11>
($110$71GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$panelHthi(ness
($111$71GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$panelHthi(ness
($112$;"@GellHsi5e$;GellHsi5e$panelHthi(ness
($11:$;"@GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$panelHthi(ness
l$110$111
$111$112
$112$11:
$11:$110
al$118$11?$120$121
ANM1AP$all
<,IO<$1.8GpanelHthi(ness$0
KGgo$2s(ipHo!e Komment to model o!e
aplot
!eal$2
0AT$2
A,<1$,$1NC$O$0"1GpanelHthi(ness$0"?GpanelHthi(ness
amesh$all
2s(ipHo!e
Ggo$2s(ipHs(ins Koment to model s(ins
!eal$1
mat$1
asel$s$lo$5$0$0
amesh$all
!eal$1
mat$1
asel$s$lo$5$1GpanelHthi(ness$1GpanelHthi(ness
amesh$all
2s(ipHs(ins
asel$all
Knsel$s$lo$&$71GellHsi5e Kunomment to apply load to s(ins
nsel$s$lo$&$70"8==02@;0;GellHsi5e Kunomment to apply load to o!e
Gget$nodesHseleted$node$0$ount
f$all$f&$71.nodesHseleted Kused to be 820 not 1
Knsel$s$lo$&$;"@GellHsi5e Kunomment to apply load to s(ins
nsel$s$lo$&$;"::012>01?GellHsi5e Kunomment to apply load to o!e
d$all$u&$ Kunomment to apply load to o!e
nsel$!$lo$y$70"@GellHsi5e Kunomment to apply load to o!e
d$all$all$
nsel$all
KGgo$2end
FI+I,#
.,N1
A+T-P<$0
Page = of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
+1F<N0$1
+,C3,T$10$0$0
.,TATC,$,N1C
,N1M<
FI+I,#
.PN,T1
P16I,P$0
P16I,P$1
2end
8. APP&NI7 9
Ansys ma!o fo! a isot!opi o!e$ used fo! non7honeyomb ompa!isons"
finish
.C1<AR$,TART
Gabb!$doitHo!e$f!pHsolidHo!e"ma
K.input$sta!t110$ans$I2JP!og!amFilesJAnsysInJ)110JA+,-,JapdlJI$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$1 KTn=Ai!ibati
.input$sta!t100$ans$Id2JP!og!amFilesJAnsysInJ)100JA+,-,JapdlJI$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$1 KTn2+ewbo!ough
.PR<P>
KG
K)aluesofpa!amete!s
KFeomet!y
s(inHthi(nessB0"000;
ellHsi5eB0"00@
panelHthi(nessB0"01
loadB7820
K0ate!ialP!ope!ties
f!pyoungB1"8=e11
f!ppoissB0":
f!pdensB1@00
hyoungB2?2:2?2"@02
hpoissB0":
hdensB0"2
<T$1$,#<11?: K8 node t!iangle fo! lamp
!$2
KReal 1L2 $shell elements fo! !ib
R$1$s(inHthi(ness
Kmate!ialdefinition
K0at1%s(in'
mp$e&$1$f!pyoung
mp$dens$1$f!pdens
mp$p!&y$1$f!ppoiss
K0at2%#C'
mp$e&$2$hyoung
mp$dens$2$hpdens
mp$p!&y$2$hpoiss
.<,#AP<$1
.MI<W$1$70":=1::8??01=@$70"@?0??82:?==0$0">2121>8=?2:=
.A+F$1$7=8"0?20=80?=?
.6I,T$1$1"08222=:8;?2$1
KGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGmodelGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG
bl;$71GellHsi5e$71GellHsi5e$@"@GellHsi5e$@GellHsi5e$panelHthi(ness
<,IO<$1.8GpanelHthi(ness$0
!eal$1
mat$1
asel$s$a!ea$$1$2
amesh$all
asel$all
et$2$solid?@
mat$2
)mesh$all
asel$all
nsel$s$lo$&$71GellHsi5e
nsel$!$lo$5$0
Gget$nodesHseleted$node$0$ount
f$all$f&$load.%nodesHseletedG2'
nsel$s$lo$&$71GellHsi5e
nsel$!$lo$5$panelHthi(ness
Gget$nodesHseleted$node$0$ount
f$all$f&$load.%nodesHseletedG2'
nsel$s$lo$&$;"@GellHsi5e
nsel$!$lo$5$0
d$all$all$
nsel$s$lo$&$;"@GellHsi5e
nsel$!$lo$5$panelHthi(ness
d$all$all$
nsel$all
Page > of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
FI+I,#
.,N1
A+T-P<$0
+1F<N0$1
+,C3,T$10$0$0
.,TATC,$,N1C
,N1M<
FI+I,#
.PN,T1
P16I,P$0
P16I,P$1
Page 8 of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
Page ? of 10
Ian Wilmut 12
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August 2008
Page 10 of 10