Council of Scientific and Industrial Research

National Aerospace Laboratories

Structural Technologies CSIR-NAL

Structural Technologies Division (STTD) is one of the largest divisions of NAL, with primary Research &
Technology lead for aerospace structures in India. The Division has expertise in aerospace structural design,
analysis, testing, qualification, certification and Research and Technology development in aerospace
structures and contributed to all aeronautics and space programs of India. Also initiated a support on

Computational
& Simulation
Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) activities. Approved under civil aircraft certification and

mechanics
military aircraft certification and follows ISO 9001:2008. The division is organised as follows:

Computational Mechanics and Simulation Group (CMSG)

Dynamics and Adaptive Structures Group (DASG)

Adaptive Structures
Fatigue and Structural Integrity Group (FSIG)
Impact and Structural Crashworthiness Group (ISCG)

Dynamics &
Structural Health Monitoring Group (SHMG)
Project Management Group (PMG)

CAE, Design Automation and Optimization

Research Initiatives : CMS group has expertise in carrying out the stress,

Fatigue & Structural

CFD based aeroelasticity buckling, thermo-elastic, nonlinear analysis and
Aero-thermo- elastic analysis of FGM panels optimization of both metallic and composite aircraft
Simulation Based Reliability Analysis structures using FEA. Capabilities are being

integrity
FE based failure analysis of nano-composites developed for the aircraft structural design
automation and processes for structural
optimization in the MDO framework.
Impact & Crash
worthiness

System Safety, Reliability & Risk Assessment

Fault Tree Analysis (FTA) based reliability assessment
has been carried out for aircraft systems such as
Mechanical Systems

structural, mechanical, electrical, control and

general systems.
Design

Software : MSC/MD NASTRAN, MSC/FATIGUE, Significant contributions to major projects:

AFGROW,ABAQUS, ZAERO, HANSA, SARAS, LCA (ADA), RLV-TD(VSSC),
Structural Health

PATRAN,HYPERMESH,ANSYS-CFX. Aerostat (ADRDE), NCA ,JAGUAR

Monitoring
 Structural Technologies

Computational Dynamics, FSI & Aeroelastic Analysis

The group has the capability of performing dynamic,
static aeroelastic flutter, discrete/random gust
response, whirl flutter and aero-thermo-elastic
analyses of aircraft/launch vehicles in the subsonic,
transonic and supersonic regimes. Flutter prediction
using modal parameters from GVT results has been
validated.

Computational Fatigue, Fracture and Damage Analysis

Computational fatigue and fracture analysis of metallic and
composite structures are being carried out using software-
tools to predict the crack initiation and propagation life
under fatigue loads for damage tolerance evaluation. In-
house research on analytical estimation of ERR for
delamination of composites and crack propagation studies
Computational

& Simulation

of composites using cohesive zone models has been

mechanics

carried out.
Adaptive Structures

Dynamics and Adaptive Structures

STTD has core competence to provide testing solutions
Dynamics &

in the following areas:

Aeroelastic model testing of aerospace vehicles
Ground Vibration Testing of fixed wing aircraft/ rotary
SMA damper V-Stack
wing helicopter
In-flight vibration measurements
Structural integrity

Flight Flutter Testing

Vibroacoustic testing with active/passive solutions
High level maturity to design and develop smart and
Fatigue &

multifunctional based vibration control solutions. A PZT based active strut Piezoarm
range of products available.

Analytical tools are developed for adaptive

Impact & Crash

structures analysis, which include smart FE

worthiness

implementation in ABAQUS/ ANSYS. Aeroservo-

elasticity, vibro-acoustics modelling and simulations
are the key research areas besides Structure-
Actuators-Sensors-Electronics integration and SHM
algorithms development.
Aeroelastic testing
Systems Design

Adaptive structures laboratory has been established

Mechanical

to design, fabricate and test nano and smart

materials based multifunctional structures for
industrial applications.

Facilities: Multi-channel DSP (desktop), Micro

Structural Health

Autobox/ Targetlink, PZT/ SMA/ MFC electronics/

MATLAB & Simulink toolboxes
Monitoring

GVT& In-flight measurements Dynamic UTM (Instron)

 Structural Technologies

Materials Evaluation Laboratory (MEL) is equipped

with seven fatigue rated servo-hydraulic test machines
ranging from 50 kN to 2000 kN, capable of performing
testing and evaluation of mechanical properties of
materials at temperatures ranging from -400C to
10000C and under hot-wet conditions.

Component level and full-scale structural testing

The facility has competence to provide the
solutions to Structural Testing and Evaluation for
Static and Fatigue Tests at Component Level and
Life Extension Studies at Full Scale Fatigue Test
capable of handling 200 and 50 ton reaction
load.

Computational
Additional reaction floor area of 11 m X 8 m with

& Simulation
1m X 1m grid anchoring points is available for

mechanics
component level testing .
Key features:

Adaptive Structures
Multi channel (32 channel) automated
control system.

Dynamics &
State-of art data acquisition system.
Multiple loading actuators.
Hydraulic power pack of 250 lpm
@ 3000 psi capacity.

Fatigue & Structural

integrity
High Velocity Air gun impact test facility
Air gun for 8lb/4lb bird strike/hail impact/engine debris etc.
Specifications:
Projectile:4kg,velocity: 200 m/s
Barrel: Length 6.65 m and ID 204 mm
Impact & Crash

Actuating mechanism: Rupture disc with quick acting valve

Speed measurement: Laser sensors unit and high speed
worthiness

camera
Settling tank: 3m3 and 25 bar pressure
Mechanical Systems

50 mm diameter barrel Air gun for Ice/hail impact/

Projectile impact

Specifications:
Design

Projectile:1kg,velocity: 200m/s
Barrel: Length 5.20 m and ID 50 mm
Actuating mechanism: Rupture disc with quick acting valve
Speed measurement: Laser sensors unit and high speed camera
Structural Health

Settling tank :0.1m3 and 10bar pressure

Monitoring
 Structural Technologies

Areas of work in Impact and Crashworthyness

High velocity impact: Bird strike, Ice (Hail stone),
Debris, Tyres etc
Crashworthiness: Occupant safety, Airbags, seats
Primary structure (fuselage) energy absorbers
Low velocity impact: tool drop on composites
tube crushing etc
Material models for failure and damage
Damage tolerance studies
Active and passive safety devices

Test and simulation infrastructure for impact and

crash worthiness studies on aerospace structures are
carriedout to reduce the fatalities and injuries to
occupants, meeting the FAR criteria (FAR 25.631 /
25.571 / 25.562 / 27.562 / 25.963. In addition, the
Computational

capabilities include, development new material /

& Simulation
mechanics

structures for energy absorption and expertise in

airbags design for better energy absorption and
validation of experimental and simulation results.
Adaptive Structures
Dynamics &

Mechanical System Design

STTD has expertise in the area of design and
development of aerospace and non-aerospace products
and systems like complex high speed wind tunnel
models for Force/Pressure measurements and spin
characteristics, radome for air-borne and ground based
Structural integrity

radars, pressure vessels, assembly rigs and test rigs for

aircraft components, etc. In addition, the group is
Fatigue &

actively involved in the design and development of

mechanical systems for aircraft applications like
hydraulic and fuel systems, landing gears and
environmental control systems.
Impact & Crash

Facilities Collaborations
worthiness

Ground Vibration Testing Indian Air Force, Indian Navy

Qualification Testing
Low frequency vibration testing
Full-scale Fatigue Test
NDT -Laser Vibrometer, Eddy current, imaging etc.
Full scale vertical drop tower
Systems Design
Defence Research and Development Organisation
Indian Space research Organisation
Indian Railways
Indian Industry: Aerospace, Mechanical etc.
International Aerospace Companies

Bird Strike
Mechanical

Sled Test
Low velocity impact test
Structural Health

For more information please contact:

Monitoring

Director, CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories, PB 1779, HAL Airport Road, Bangalore-560017, India.
Tel: +91-80-25086000, 25270584; Fax: +91-80-25260862; E-mail: director@nal.res.in; www.nal.res.in