Lightning Strike Simulation in Composite Structures

Abstract:

Lighting strike is one of the critical threats to the safety of composite aircrafts during flight. This work reports on numerical simulation of lightning strike in composite structures. Different modelling techniques using the commercial software ABAQUS, together with damage models are studied to find the most appropriate one in comparison to experimental results. Once the numerical model is validated, the effect of insertion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and metallic mesh in the composite is investigated. It is concluded that inserting CNTs in the top layer of the composite can improve its lightning strike protection noticeably.

• Periodical: Key Engineering Materials (Volume 754)
• Pages: 181-184
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/KEM.754.181
• Online since: September 2017
• Authors: J. Fernandez de Toro Espejel*, Zahra Sharif Khodaei
• Keywords: ABAQUS, CNT Doped Composite, Coupled Thermal Electric Analysis, Electrical Conductivity, Lightning Strike, Numerical Simulation

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