Structural design and material comparison for aircraft wing box beam panel.

This paper aims to present a comprehensive investigation to obtain the structural calculations needed to design a rigid panel of aluminum alloy for the wing box beam of an ATR 72-500 aircraft. For this design process, several types of materials, including composites like CFRP, are considered so it is possible to compare the actual existing part made of aluminum to them, thus checking the advantages these new materials offer. The research presents an introduction to structural design and provides a study of the relevant literature. The aircraft's principal characteristics and performance abilities were collected so that structural loads can be computed. Research used several methods, a design using conventional methods, applying the theory of elasticity is performed using the Theory of Farrar, allowing us to obtain an analytical solution to the problem, followed by checking the obtained results using Ansys FEM software combined with the parts being designed with CATIA. Furthermore, this same panel is calculated using composite materials instead of conventional aluminum, allowing us to compare both solutions. This research shed light on the intricate process of aircraft structural design, materials selection, and calculation methodologies, highlighting the ongoing pursuit of new and advanced materials. This paper makes clear that using composite materials presents several advantages over traditional ones, allowing for lighter, safer, more fuel-efficient, and more sustainable aircraft. The use of composite materials in the construction of airplane structures is driven by many factors. The results show that the chosen composite materials reduce weight, are durable, have low maintenance requirements, reduce noise, enhance fuel economy, and are resistant to corrosion.

Three-Dimensional Analysis of Biomimetic Aerofoil in Transonic Flow.

Since the invention of the aircraft, there has been a need for better surface design to enhance performance. This thirst has driven many aerodynamicists to develop various types of aerofoils. Most researchers have strongly assumed that smooth surfaces would be more suitable for air transport vehicles. This ideology was shattered into pieces when biomimetics was introduced. Biomimetics emphasized the roughness of a surface instead of smoothness in a fluid flow regime. In this research, the most popular 0012 aerofoils of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) are considered to improve them, with the help of a surface pattern derived from the biological environment. Original and biomimetic aerofoils were designed in three dimensions with the help of Solidworks software and analyzed in the computational flow domain using the commercial code ANSYS Fluent. The implemented biomimetic rough surface pattern upgraded the NACA 0012 aerofoil design in the transonic flow regime. Lift and viscous forces of the aerofoil improved up to 5.41% and 9.98%, respectively. This research has proved that a surface with a little roughness is better than a smooth surface.