Ellis Developments Limited

Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom

(NOTS)

Nodal Optimisation of Truss Structures

Project Overview

The overall aim of the project was to establish the underpinning science and technological know-how concerning the use of novel lightweight composite nodal truss structures in aerospace and other sectors. The project developed the enabling know-how and innovation in joints and joining for the manufacture of truss test structures by providing:

improved performance and structural integrity with emphasis on weight reduction

increased service life thereby reducing life cycle costs

adhesive bonding technologies for joining lightweight composites

joining technologies for repair e.g. low temperature cure minimising residual stresses

3D theoretical modelling and validation of nodal joints and structures under realistic loads and environments

Truss structures inherently provide highly distributed stress paths that can be utilised to provide outstanding damage tolerance performance, with failure contrived to occur by serial failure of struts. Critical to the successful development and implementation of advanced truss structures are software tools that assist in the structural design and performance analysis, coupled with cost-effective manufacture and repair. Previous investigations of truss structures required tedious experimentation for each node, and the development of suitable modelling tools in this project for both design and performance (including the effects of damage and damage tolerance) form a major and critical part of the work. Ease of repair is also important in life cycle costs. Generic know-how and design/performance tools were generated.

This collaborative project had a value of £700,000, and was part-funded by The UK's Department of Trade and Industry 

Julian Ellis will be delighted to hear from you. Telephone on +44 (0) 1636  812100

email: info@ellisdev.co.uk We are based at The Stables, Hall Farm, Kirklington, Newark, Nottinghamshire, NG22 8NN,, United Kingdom