Advanced Engineering Materials Assignment 2
Aims-
• To optimise the design of a composite panel.
• To use the Weibull model as a means of monitoring quality and selecting/grouping modes of failure in brittle materials.
Outline Brief
As a result of recommendations in Assignment 1 Staffordshire Renewables have asked for detail design of a "Carbon-Fibre" blade surface asking for "maximum stiffness, minimum mass and minimum cost".
However they are concerned about "performance" (by which they mean stiffness:weight, modulus of rupture and consistency) and how it could be improved.
They have already sourced some nominal 3mm sheet material for you to assess and have cut it into coupons for bend testing.
Your Task(s)
1. Using the CoDA suite of software, and data on a range of suitable materials eg Advanced Composites Group https://www.advanced-composites.co.uk/ design a suitable architecture to achieve the mechanical optimisation requested by Staffordshire Renewables.
2. Perform 4-point bend testing, or 3 Point Bend testing, (you will receive advice on loading rates etc) loading the material until it fractures. Break sufficient specimens to allow estimation of the Weibull modulus. (suggest 10 per group)
3. Analyse your fracture data set using the 3 parameter Weibull Model and comment on issues relating to the consistency of the sample and the issues of applying your findings to predicting behaviour in larger components.
4. Produce a report- template as per the coversheet.