The Buckling Response of Lattice Fuselage Structures: Validation of Finite Element Models by Using Smeared Unit Cell Analytical Methodology

Abstract

Composite lattice structures are shells that are reinforced by unidirectional helical and hoop ribs. Their main advantage over contemporary composite structures is their superior stiffness to mass ratio. However, their application in industry is still limited. In this paper, the lattice structure concept was applied for the case of a small business aircraft. Emphasis here is given at the initial stages of the design. More specifically, the buckling modes for bending loads were calculated by utilizing a continum unit cell model which was correlated with finite element models for a cylindrical small fuselage structure and two scaled down versions.