Performance analysis of composite ply orientation in aeronautical application of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) NACA4415 wing

TLDR

Composite materials are increasingly used in aircraft design for their high stiffness and weight savings, and laminate fiber orientations enable further optimization of structural performance. This study compares the effects of different ply orientations and seeks the optimal combination for a UAV wing featuring a tubercle‑shaped leading edge. A layerwise finite‑element model of a CFRP‑laminated UAV wing, incorporating whale‑flipper‑inspired tubercles, is employed for static structural analysis. The optimal ply arrangement with tubercles reduces deformation by 38.75 % and stress by 46.83 % relative to a conventional NACA4415 leading edge.

Abstract

The advancement in today's material science has driven composite materials to globally use in aircraft design with its superiority in high structural stiffness and significant weight reduction. Composite structures ordinarily comprise of laminates with various fiber orientation angles offers unique outcome, hence lead to optimized design for composite structure. The paper deals with the layerwise finite element model for static structural analysis of a CFRP laminated composite of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) wing. The objective of this study is to compare the results for different orientation of ply combinations which contributed to the high performance of composite materials that exhibit both orthotropic strength and stiffness properties. Both properties present unique challenges for analysis and design. The study is further up to determine the optimum design for selected ply combination on a wing with a tubercle design at the leading edge of the wing. Tubercles mimicking the protuberances on the leading edge of a Humpback whale pectoral flipper, offering great performance from an aerodynamic perspective. Hence, optimum design of composite is found from the tabulated stress and displacement for each ply combination, where the tubercles design at the leading edge of UAV wing showed better performance with a reduction in 38.75% of deformation and 46.83% of stress, compared to normal leading edge of NACA4415 airfoil.