Applicability of small-scale models in prediction flutter pressure of delaminated composite beam-plates

Abstract

In this study, the flutter pressure of delaminated composite beam-plates subjected to supersonic flow is investigated using similitude theory. An analytical investigation based on the direct use of the governing equations of the systems is undertaken to derive the necessary scaling laws and similarity conditions. The method presented herein has already been shown to be effective in the design of scaled down models for buckling and vibration response of laminated composite shells and panels. In this study, the flutter pressures of the prototypes are predicted by projecting the flutter pressure of the model using the derived scaling law. Based on the result of this study, for flutter of delaminated composite beam-plates, based on structural similitude, set of scaling laws can be found, which are used to develop design rules for small-scale models. For prototypes with the same material properties and stacking sequence as the prototype, distorted models with different delamination length and depth than those of the prototype can predict the behavior of the prototypes, accurately.