Modelling bird impacts on an aircraft wing – Part 2: Modelling the impact with an SPH bird model

Abstract In a collaborative research project, aircraft wing leading edge structures with a glass-based Fibre Metal Laminate (FML) skin have been designed, built, and subjected to bird strike tests that have been modelled with finite element analysis. In this second part of a two-part paper, a finite element model is developed for simulating the bird strike tests, using Smooth Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) for modelling the bird and the material model developed in Part 1 of the paper for modelling the leading edge skin. The bird parameters are obtained from a system identification analysis of strikes on flat plates. Pre-test simulations correctly predicted that the bird did no penetrate the leading edge skin, and correctly forecast that one FML lay-up would deform more than the other. The SPH bird model showed no signs of instability and correctly modelled the break-up of the bird into particles. The rivets connecting the skin to the ribs were found to have a profound effect on the performance of the structure.