Evaluation of Impact Energy Attenuators and Composite Material Designs of a UAM VTOL Concept Vehicle
Evaluation of Impact Energy Attenuators and Composite Material Designs of a UAM VTOL Concept Vehicle
复制标题
UAM VTOL 概念车冲击能量衰减器和复合材料设计的评估
DOI：
10.4050/f-0075-2019-14554
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发表时间：
2019
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
J. Littell
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
J. Putnam;J. Littell
针对城市空中机动性(UAM)市场的垂直起降(VTOL)车辆的发展提出了对具有有效乘员保护能力的轻型车辆结构的需求。美国国家航空航天局(NASA)一直在努力满足这一需求，最近开发了一批概念飞行器，以帮助表征UAM设计的可行性。本文描述了一项研究，利用这些概念车，评估先进的复合材料结构和能量衰减设计在UAM车辆设计空间的使用情况。在LSDyna®中建立了一辆单人四旋翼概念车的有限元模型，并在额定和非额定垂直碰撞条件下对其进行了模拟。在该模型中实施了各种能量衰减设计机制，以量化它们在提高乘员安全性方面的有效性。评价了碳复合材料在能量衰减机理和车辆结构中的应用。这项研究的结果发现，在车辆设计中实施吸能复合材料压碎管和起落架，显著降低了乘员受伤的风险。此外，使用碳纤维作为结构材料被发现提供了显著的重量减轻，同时保持了与铝结构预测的相似的乘员负荷。这项工作对可用于优化UAM市场内乘员保护能力的设计机制和材料进行了初步评估。
The development of Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) vehicles for the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) markets presents a need for light weight vehicle structures with effective occupant protection capabilities. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been working to fill that need, recently developing a cadre of concept vehicles to help characterize UAM design feasibility. This paper describes a study, using these concept vehicles, to evaluate the use of advanced composite structure and energy attenuating designs in the UAM vehicle design space. A finite element model (FEM) of a single passenger quadrotor concept vehicle was developed in LSDyna® and simulated under nominal and off-nominal vertical impact conditions. A variety of energy attenuating design mechanisms were implemented within this model to quantify their effectiveness in improving occupant safety. The use of carbon composites in both the energy attenuation mechanisms and vehicle structure was evaluated. The results of this study found significant reduction in occupant injury risk with the implementation of energy absorbing composite crush tubes and landing gear within the vehicle design. Additionally the use of a carbon fiber as a structural material was found to provide significant weight reduction while maintaining similar occupant loads to that predicted with an aluminum structure. This work provides a preliminary evaluation of design mechanisms and materials that may be used to optimize occupant protection capabilities within the UAM market.