Dynamic testing and modelling of composite fuselage frames and fasteners for aircraft crash simulations

In crash simulations of composite aircraft fuselage sections, frame breaking, skin bending and failure of mechanically fastened joints can typically be identified as major contributors to crash energy absorption. In order to generate a database for model validations, corresponding static and dynamic tests have been performed on coupon and structural element level to characterise the rate-dependent failure behaviour and energy absorption. Skin-bending, frame-bending and joint-failure tests under pull-out, bearing and peeling loads were performed on 977-2/HTS carbon fibre/epoxy specimens. On the one hand, effects of loading rate on the frame-bending behaviour could be observed. On the other hand, fastener failure did not appear to be depending on loading rate for the test speeds up to 10 m/s involved in this study. Adequate modelling methods in Abaqus/Explicit were derived and validated, and finally applied to a global aircraft crash simulation model.