Within the European collaborative applied fundamental research project ADAPT, fundamentals of SMA-reinforced composites were evaluated and the specific manufacturing techniques for these composites developed and realised. The involved partners are listed at the end. To demonstrate applicability of these composites a realistically scaled aerodynamic profile of around 0.5m span by 0.5m root chord was designed, manufactured and assembled. The curved skins were manufactured as SMA composites with two layers of SMA-wires integrated into the layup of aramid fibre prepregs. All SMA wires were connected such that they can be operated as individual sets of wires and at low voltages, similar to the conditions for electrical energy generation in a real aircraft. The profile was then mounted on a vibration test rig and activated and excited by a shaker at its tip which allowed to test the dynamic performance of the profile under different external loading conditions with various internal actuation conditions through the SMA wires. The paper includes some background of the design and manufacturing of the aerodynamic profile and will discuss some of the results determined recently on the test rig. A view with regard to future wind tunnel testing will be given as well.

Date Published: 9 July 2002
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 4698, Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies, (9 July 2002); doi: 10.1117/12.475088

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 4698:
Smart Structures and Materials 2002: Industrial and Commercial Applications of Smart Structures Technologies
Anna-Maria Rivas McGowan, Editor(s)