Experimental Determination of Material Properties for Inflatable Aeroshell Structures
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Author(s)
Hutchings, Allison L..
Braun, Robert D.
Masuyama, Kento
Welch, Joseph V.
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Abstract
As part of a deployable aeroshell development effort, system design, materials evaluation,
and analysis methods are under investigation. One specific objective is to validate finite
element analysis techniques used to predict the deformation and stress fields of aeroshell
inflatable structures under aerodynamic loads. In this paper, we discuss the results of an
experimental mechanics study conducted to ensure that the material inputs to the finite
element models accurately predict the load elongation characteristics of the coated woven
fabric materials used in deployable aeroshells. These coated woven fabrics exhibit some
unique behaviors under load that make the establishment of a common set of test protocols
difficult. The stiffness of a woven fabric material will be influenced by its biaxial load state.
Uniaxial strip tensile testing although quick and informative, may not accurately capture the
needed structural model inputs. Woven fabrics, when loaded in the bias direction relative to
the warp and fill axes, have a resultant stiffness that is quite low as compared with the warp
and fill directional stiffness. We evaluate the experimental results from two load versus
elongation test devices. Test method recommendations are made based on the relevance and
accuracy of these devices. Experimental work is conducted on a sample set of materials,
consisting of four fabrics of varying stiffness and strength. The building blocks of a
mechanical property database for future aeroshell design efforts are constructed.
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Date
2009-05
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