Optimización y rediseño con materiales compuestos del spoiler del avión DASSAUL MIRAGE F1 a través de su análisis experimental de propiedades mecánicas y simulación por el método de los elementos finitos

Abstract

[ES] El proyecto que se pretende realizar consistirá en realizar un análisis experimental de las propiedades de un spoiler real de un Dassault Mirage F1, así como de los materiales que lo componen, para su posterior rediseño y optimización, buscando una reducción de peso, manteniendo su funcionalidad original. Primeramente se realizará un estudio del estado del arte de los materiales de uso aeronáutico en la actualidad. A continuación se llevará a cabo el análisis experimental del componente tanto desde el punto de vista de los materiales que lo componen como desde el punto de vista estructural. Posteriormente se realizará un rediseño basado en el uso de materiales compuestos con fibra de carbono, mediante el método de los elementos finitos(MEF) con el objetivo de optimizar el spoiler.

[EN] Progress in aerospace engineering has always been and will always be linked to progress in materials science and materials engineering. Nowadays, on structural applications the two most widely used materials are aluminium and composites, and it is always up to debate which is best. Aluminium and its alloys have been used since almost the very beginning of aviation because of its good mechanical properties and light weight when compared to other metals. However, when composites appeared, lighter (which is very important in aeronautics) and with a wider range of properties and forming processes than aluminium, they became very popular. The question is if they will be able to take aluminium’s place. To this effect, in the present project the viability of this substitution has been studied, more precisely, the substitution of the spoiler of a fighter aircraft known as Mirage F1. For that purpose, the first thing to do was some reverse engineering, which is conducting experiments and tests on the actual part in order to get to know its main properties, such as stiffness, composition or forming process. The next step was modelling that component on a CAD program, and with that being the first design, modifications to reduce weight and maintain performance characteristics were proposed. The final prototype will be made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer, and it will be manufactured in the final stage, so that previous calculations can be confirmed or denied, as well as it will be concluded whether or not the redesign study is actually worth it. In sections 1,2 and 3, an analysis of the state of the art of aeronautics’ and aerospace’s materials has been carried out, paying special attention to the ones aforementioned, aluminium and composites. What is more, some information about the aircraft that the spoiler is part of is detailed, along with the explanation of the part’s function during flight. Also, the finite element method is introduced as it is going to be used on the simulation stage. In section 4, the methodology and main results of macroscopic and microscopic analysis will be explained so that, in section 5, the redesign process can be understood. From the part’s “digital twin”, the composite prototype will be calculated and simulated accordingly. In section 6, the manufacturing process of the result of the previous section will be described. Next, in section 7, the main ideas and results of the project will be summarized and compared so, in section 8, conclusions can be reached. Besides all that, a budget has been estimated and some technical conditions are stated in the specification document.