Mass Optimisation of Turbofan Engine Casing Made of Sandwich Structure

Elżbieta Szymczyk; Jerzy Jachimowicz; Krzysztof Puchała; Wiesław Szymczyk

doi:10.24423/cames.229

Elżbieta Szymczyk Military University of Technology
Jerzy Jachimowicz Military University of Technology
Krzysztof Puchała Military University of Technology
Wiesław Szymczyk Military University of Technology

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.24423/cames.229

Abstract

Materials of a high specific strength and stiffness are used in the aerospace industry to obtain the lowest possible aircraft mass. The object of analysis is the casing of the F124 turbofan engine. The axially compressed cylindrical part of this casing is considered. The aim of the paper is to analyse possible benefits of replacing the original ribbed metal casing with a sandwich structure. The sandwich structure (metal-fibre laminate) of titanium alloy faces and a flax fibre laminate core is proposed. Semi-analytical optimisation of a sandwich structure was performed including a polynomial approximation of the critical load with correction obtained based on numerical analysis. The best mass efficiency was obtained for a core to faces thickness ratio equal to about 4.

Keywords

thin-walled sandwich structure, flax laminate core, buckling, semi-analytical optimisation,

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