NASA

TECHNP,

GAL

HASA TM

X-72771

MEMORANDUM

,l.,. r,,
r,i

(N_SA-TH-X-72771) ST"OCTfI_F (N_SA)

CO _._IT;_ IA_TIC!_ 2@ [ IIC $]?5 CSCT. 22F

N75- J2160

>(

_lllclas

I,,-.

'_ :a::

COMPOSITELATTICE STRUCTURE

ey
Marvin D. Rhodes and Martin H. Mikulas, Jr.

September, 1975

(X_

'%,
Thli Informal documentation medium Is .sod to Novlde accelerated or apelll rellaee of t=chnlcal Inlormatie_ to selected users. The contents n_y not meet NASA formal editing and pMblicatlon ut_mderd|, my be revlIIKI, or may be Incorporated m another publl(:'ztion.

NATIONAL A|IOHAUTR! SPACE AND ADMINGTRAgON LAN6LEY IESI_4ifCH HAMPTON, CENTER,, YBGINIA,tLH_ 2

__

1. Repot! Nn,

2, Government AcclMlan No_-

3, Ra'J.ipimf_t's atalog No. C

NASATM X-7277l
4, T_*:_l!al_d Subtitle _ Report D_10

COMPOSITELATTICESTRUCTURE

_P_.HBEI(197_
6. Performin@ Orglnizatmn Code

73.620
7. Author(s1 8 P_rl(JrlniNg Or,j_nl/dl,o,) I|e|Jr_TtNO.

Marvin D. Rhodesand Martin M. Mikulas, Jr.

............... 9. I_tf_rmingOrganiLazior= N,,me and Address 10. W,)rk Un;t No,

NASALangley Research Center Hampton, Va. 23665

,,,

11. (;ontr_ct or _i'ctlrt NIJ.

13. Type of Report and Period Covered

12. po._=,i._ _,,_. =,_A,_d,_, s A_.=y National Aeronautics and Space Administration Washington, D. C. 20546
15, Supplementary Note_

TechnicalMemorandum t4 spo._,,n_ _e,cV _d_ A C

16.

Abstract

.....

A lattice unidirectional lattice

type scructural character

panel concept is described which exploits advanced composite materials. where stiff lightweight structures

the are

of filamentary

This

has potential

for applications

needed such as large area panels for space satellites.

Formulae are presented

to calculatethe panel weight and plate bending stiffness. This analysis indicates that structure_with significantly lighterweight than conventional minimum gage sandwich const,'uction be fabricated, A suggestedfabricationprocedureis can also presentedalong with photographsof some typicalpanels.

17. Key Words (Su_lf_!_tud by Author(s))

lB. Distribution 5tate.lU,lt

space strv,._ures,

composite materials, fail safe design

Unclassified

- Unlimited

sandwich structures,

- ..... = Cla"_" _'9--_Sec_'r_tYfled Unclass, ('this 'ePr"_ ;.

_ 2o. _.,ity Unclassified [..l c,.,,i,, (o|his t

lnformetlnn

_I No .f _---_ e., _6

_: r';_"_j $}.?, .........

............... ,._ =

"For _le_ hy the N_ltlonml T._hntcel .............................................................................

_efvlne. _fln_fj_t!(lo

V irW[l|_ ;7/2116_1= ................. .

COMPOSITELATTICE STRUCTURE

By

and Martin M. Mikulas,Jr. Langley ResearchCenter Marvin D. Rhodes !_ INTRODUCTION aerospace to Contemporaryand future vehicle requirements continue providechallengesto the structuraldesigner for reducingstructuralweight. In aircraft,fuel econon_y putting a premiumon structuralweight (ref. I) is while in spacecraftthere are anticipatedneeds for very large area space structures(ref. 2) that will severely tax the load carryingcapabilityof ', _ L_ L,_ )_ any conceivableboostersystem. Relativelyrecent advances in filamentary comp :itematerials (ref. 3) have providedthe structuraldesigner improvements of a factor of 2 to 3 in strengthto density ratiosand a factor of 3 to 4 in modulus to density ratios when comparedwith commonlyavai]ablemetals. To take full advantageof these improvements, however,structuraldesign concepts must be originatedwhich consider from the outset, the highly unidirectional
i =

5 I

nature of the advanced filamentarycompositematerials. In ti(e presentpaper a latticetype structuralpanel is describedin which an attempt is made to fully exploit the unidirectional characteristics of filamentarycomposites. The main motivationfor the developmentof such a concept is the requirementfor large area space structureswhich are designed on the basis of stiffnessrather than strength. Although sandwich construction is very efficient from a weight standpointfor moderate to heavilyloaded structures,severe weight penaltiesresult for very lightlyloaded sandwich _' structuresdue to minimum gage constraintson skin thickness,glue weight and core density. In an attempt to circumventthese minimum gage problems a very J J
i

'J

2 sophisticated elcctroformed, hollow core aluminum structure was developed in

reference4. The conceptdevelopedin reference4 has a resultantweight per unit area that Is impressivelylow, however,the cost for producingsuch structuresmay be very high. lhe lattice conceptof the presentpaper has the potentialof being as low or even lower in weight per unit area than the electroformedconcept and should be at least an order of magnitudecheaper to produce. Although the latticeconceptwas originallyconceivedfor stiffness criticalstructures,it also appears to have weight advantagesfor structures which are designed by moderate loads. In this paper a descriptionis given of the concept,and the construction techniquesare discussed, Carpet plots are presentedwhich give the weights and bending stiffnessesof lattice panels for a wide range of 9eometricvariablesand a weight comparisonis made with san_iichpanels. The material system consideredis graphite/epo_ and the latticenetwork is taken as isotropic. For specificapplications other" compositematerial systems couldwell be appropriateand the geometryof the latticenetworkcould be tailoredto suit the stiffnessor loadingrequirements.

i
1

SYMBOLS
A a Pea

a D E t
W

width of lattice

strips

(see sketch a) see equation 5 (s_e sketch a)

plate bending stiffness, elastic modulus spacing of lattice thickness

mas_

strips

v p

Poisson's ratio density Subscripts

1,2 a
C

indicate size relation, adhesive

cote

see equation g

e f p t

effective total

or smeared

sandwich face sheets plate composite materlal tape Basic Concept The basic _:on_ostte lattt,.e concept is shm_ in Figure 1. It It consists

of a regular

geor_etrtcal arrangement of strips have _tgh structural penalties strips.

of advanced composite material efficiency. The lat,)tce concept

on an open grid honeycon_ core. network which generally relieves because two additional Figure 1 has a one ply, designers of might

resembles a h_gh]y redundant truss imposed by nintmom gage requirements These parameters are the network shown in f_ce sheet. The lattt(:e

paramel;ers are introduced. (0, _ 60) pseudo-tsotropic

spacing and width of the lattice

Other concepts of a similar one _hown in Figure 2. isotropic limited specific direction The pattern

nature can also he considerad such as the shown in this sketch is also a pseudo_lthough both concepts structures are not a to suit

laminate of (0, _ 45, gO) orientation. to isotropic application type laminates. by using me,"iple

shown have pseudo-isotropic

face sheets, composer:, )_ttice thickness

Panel design may be tailored

laminates in any specific could thickness

or on selected strips.

Sometypical In addition,

examples are shown in Figure 3

for the (0, t 60) face sheet. have somediagonal strips

the (0, t 45, gO) pattern

(_ 45) omitted or _ combination of multiple

laminatesa_id omitted diagonalstrips and still maintaina regularnetwork patternas shown in Figure 4. For applications requiringthe structureto support a low pressure lateral load a fil_ could be bonded to one face sheet as in Figure 5a or one side of the panel could be a full multi-plylaminate (Figure5b) with the opposite side and core of latticeconstruction. The sketches shown in Figure 3, 4, and 5 13Iustratethe design latitudeavailable using the compositelatticeconcept. Some of the design parametersior latticestructureare given in Table !. These parametersfail into two grou_s,those associatedwith the lattice face _ ) sheets and those relatedto the hor,eycombore. By appropriateselectionof c the desig_l parameters,the weight, strength and stiffnessof a panel can oe The compositelatticepanel conceptwas concelvedfor lightly loaded applicationssuch as space structureswhere stiffnessrather than strength is
M

,_

the predominantdesign para_.ter.However, it may have applicationsfor more selectivelytailored. moderatelyloaded structures. Also, due to the high degreeof redundancy where fail-safetyis considered.

and diagonal supports (truss framework)the conceptmay have appiicatlons

ANALYSIS

In the pr_vtous section two concepts were proposed. both are pseudoisotroptc configuration typical laminates and are viable lattice section. spaced single

The first

was

(0, _ 60) and the second was a (0, _ 45, 90) face sheet latttce. only the (0, 60) is examined in this with uniformly Furthemore,

Althouoh only this

panel candidates,

thickness laminates is considered. panels can be determined using a

Hass - The mass of composite lattice triangular

element as shown in sketch a.

Sketch a - Typical within

triangular

element the mass of a typica|

Considering on|y the material triangular

the dashed line

ele:nent can be found to be N " 3 a* Pttt + (Pctc + 2 Pata)(_ 3_1_a2) 1

The a_

fQr this

sam,)element i_ given by A _ "_3_2

q.

:= i .

6 Therefore the unit mass of a panel is given by

& !:_ W/h = 27_ ,_.a2 ott t .:- Pctc + 2 Petal - 3(_-)2 (Pctc + 2 Petal ( _t _, a -it'3'. 3

These equations apply only when the spacing _; a't_',

);

if the spacing of composite

the lattice

wi]l

hove no triangular

cutouts ,n the honeycomb FGr this configuration

r3re or adhesive, material the unit

however, it will

also not have adjac_at strips

touching as if a full mass is given by

three ply laminate.

7-

"

:_
i_

N/A = 4 1/3_ Pitt +Pctc + 2%t a where

!_

2a Whenthe spacing becomes equal to _ tim latti,,, is reduced to standard sandwich construction with face sheets of three continuous larntna. Shownin Figure 6 is the u, it mass of" lattice panels as a function The 0.0L)55 in. thick thick

; _ _ i_

of spacing (_L) for 'two thickne'_ses of tape materl_l. tape is the standard commercial prepreg materta!

while the 0.003 in.

m_terial is also commercially availablebut is _ot as commonlyused. The propertiesof a11 materialsused to ca'lculate he structural.sss are given t in Table 2 and are considev'edo be representative availablecommercial t of products. It can be noted that with a large spacing (_) a very low mass structure can be fabrica"-ed using the lattice concept. However, as the spacing is reduced the _tructura] sandwich construction ma:_sincreases to the mass of standard It should also be observed that if design

which 1_ app_'oxtmately 0.25 and 0.37 ibs/ft 2 for the

two thicknesses of tape consider,.,d.

requirementsdictate ;Jspecificcross sectionalarea of material,then a thickertape rather than a wider 'lattice trip (a) will yield the lowermass s structure because t,,e wider latti,:e strip has more.honeycombweight included.

'

'

IL

Plate Bend]d Stiffness _ can be calculated

- The b_ndlng stiff'hess

of sandwich structures

from the equattm. (reference 5)

D = F';(tp 3 " tc3) 12 (1 - vf 2)

when Ef >> Ec the entire

If the latttce

facings are considered to be _mea_ed over face sheet thickness can be found to be

face sheet an effective

= a

te Plate bending stiffness

2 "1_ _

tt

6 face sheet thickness can be

in terms of effective

determined by substituting

tp = 2t e + t c

into equation 5 and expanding

tp 3.

If

t e << t c

then

D = Eftcte ' Bending stiffness were calculated 2 (1-vf 2)

(2t e + to)

as'a function of strip

spacing (_) for several rib These results

widths and two composite tape thicknesses

is shown in Figure 7.

using a core thickness of U.2 inches and other material

parameters given in Table 2. As the lattice spacing increases the stiffness decreases from that of conventional sandwich structure to |ower values as one would expect from an examination of equation 8.

'

A carpet plot giving the mass of a panel as a function of plate bending stiffness for sandwich panels and lattice panels having various _.atios of construca/ is shown in Figure 8. tion offers significant Also shownon the figure are curve_ indicating lattice

constant honeycon_core depth. panels of equal bending stiffness. thickness, bending stiffness However, for very thick

Based on these calculations, For a given ratio o_

weight saving potential

when compared with sandwich a/ and tape the T!e point

increases due to increases in core depth.

cores the _'Jss can be reduced by increasing

thickness of the face sheet instead of the thickness of the core.

at which face sheet thickness should be increased instead of increasing the thickness of the core can be determined from the simultaneol:s solution of the equations for mass and stiffness. thickness has been found to be The relation between tape and core

= t t2c

_t_t 1c.! t2t

tic = 4pt (t2t

- tlt)IP (2 -_'3 al) (I _ c "|t-_-tl

10

where Therefore. all

t2t tlt design variables need be considered when examining require-

ments for a particular

application. Fabrication

Cempostte sandwich lattice m_tartals and adhesive systems. of fabrlcatic,

can be fabricated

from commonly available suggests one method of the proposed

The following dtsc,sstnn

however, many other methods, or variations The face sheets are fabricated

_etho_Jare possible. oFaceSheets.from unidirectional p_Jmpregnated tape that is cut into strips of the desired width. The strips _re laid in (, mold machined from aluminum and overcoated with a re]ease agent. A m_ctHned mold such as the one shown in Figure g permits accurate of the tape with minimum effort.

alJgnme_it _nd positioning

9 lloneycom Core.-h lhe trJanqularpattern illtPle h(ineycomb ore may he c

r_lllOVedeither before m' ..

after bondlng t(_the lac_, FJ1eets. li tllf_y are

r(:iiioved hefore, bending care must l_etaken t() accl4raLely()_,itiun core on p tbe the lattice strips. If they are removedafter L.o'_(ling there is danger of damage to the faces _hen the core if_ heing cut. In order to remove the triangularsectiom_, ._rom the core a novel cutter was devised. A photographof this cutter is ._tlown Figure I0. The cutter in is fabricatedfrom aluminumwith conventiona'_ single edge razor blades as the cuttingedge. A spring loadedplunger _,_ot the center ream)yes in the tri-egul_rsection from the cutter. _he panels fabricatedto dat_ have been made by precuttingthe honeycomb corp. A special templatedesigned for t:,is p_rpose is shown in F_gure II and a photo showingthe template and cutter In use is shown in Figure 12. The templatewas fabricateJfrom thin alumhmm sheet stock and the grid pattern was cut on a numericalcontrolledmil!h_g machine. Curin_ and .Bondin_Face__ Sheets. Panel fabricatedin this investigation s were made by using the tea,)plate cutter to precut the honeycombcore. and Silicon rubber blanketswere also cu'_ with the template and placed iu the base of the mold. The composite,aaterial face sheets were the_ plac_.d in the mold followedby the honeycombcore whose faces had been coated with an epoxy resin system to permit bondingto the core. The molds were closed and loaded with lead weights to get good contactpressure between the face sheet and the honeycoil_.The totaI sy'_tem was heated to a low temperatureto cure the bonding resin. The low temperature also allowed the resin in the graphite to fl(,w and give good joint co_,paction. The latticewas then removed from the mold, vacuum bagged ar, placed in an oven to cure the resin in the d graphite. It was necessaryto cure the graphiteprepreg outside the aluminum mold due to the differentialthermalexpansionbetween the alumi_:umnd the a graphitecomposite. Molds machlned from a materialwith low thermalexpansion characteristics such _s graphiteor a ceramicwould allow the latticeto he completelybonded ars_ cured in the a_Id i_ ow_e opc,_'ation without d,_mag(). A completedpanel fabricatedby the. _thod outlinedabove is shown in Iiq_re 13. This panel has a strip width of 0.25 inch _nd a latticespacinqof 1.5 inches.

10

SUMMARY

Future space missions may require designed on the basis of stiffness are generally very efficient, rather

larg_ area structures tllan strength.

which are severe

Sandwich structures

however, for lightly

loaded applications

weight penaltiesresult from minimum gage constraints. A latticetype structuralconcept has been describedwhich exploits the unidirectional characterof filamentarycompositematerialswhile relievingthe designer of conventionalminimum gage considerations.Although conceivedfor stiffness critical structures,the conceptmay have weight advantagesfor structures designed by moderate loads or applications where fail-safetyis important. Formulae are presentedto calculateboth weight and plate bending ctiffnessof the latticestructure. Carpet plots which give the weight and bending stiffnessfor a wide varietyof geometricvariablesare also presented. The compositematerial system consideredis graphiteepoxy and the lattice network is isotropic,however_the analysismay be modified to considerother material systemsor nonisotropic networkswhere appropriate. A suggested fabricationprocedureis describedalong with photographsof some typical panels.

RLI:LRr S NCII

I. Nagel, A. L.; and Alford,W. ,}., Jr.: Future Long-RangeTranspogtPro;;pect_ ()r F ImprovedFuel Efficic'ncy. NASA TM X-12659, Feb. 1975. 2, (iia,_(,r,I...; al: l'easibility ?. et Studyof a SatelliteSolar Power Station. NASA CR-2357,F(.d). I()74. 3. Jorles, M,: Mechanicsof ComvositeMateria'Js.Srript_ Bc.._k R. Ce., _'_)75. 4, Carlson,J. A.: Developmentof t.ightweight Solar Panels. NASa. _;RF,3832 5. Ashton,J. E.; llalpin, C.; an_ Petit, P. H.: Pr_cr c,,I J. E_',,..=ite Materials: Analysis. TechnomicPublish'ingo.. 'r ..,196_; C 6. _lilliams,. G.; and Mikulas,M. M., Jr.. _,nalyti_.ai Experir.;ental J and Study of Structurally EfficientComposiC.e l&t-Stiffened l Panels L'j_.decl in Axial Compression. AIAA Pel)er No. 75-/._4,ay 1975. M

ACKNOWt.E D_tRENI'S

Appreciationis expressedto IVlessrs;. Joseph Power and E1vin Ahl of the CompositeModel Developmet_t Shcp for their a;d in developingfabrication techniques,and to _light Stroupeof the MechanicalDevelopt_ntSection for his suggestionson the molds and honeycombcutter.

12

Table 1._ Lattice Design Variables

LatticeComponent HoneycombCore

Design Variab'le Density ThicKness Shear Modulus

Face Sheet

Design Configuration MaterialModulus Material Strength Strip Width Strip Thickness Strip Spacing Density Bond Strength

Adhesive

i
13

Table 2.- MaterialPropertiesUsed to CalculatePanel Mass and StiffnessParameters

ComponentMaterial

Property

Honeycombcore

= 3.0 Ib/ft 3

t = 0.2 in c Graphiteepoxy Face sheet* tt = 0.003 in Pt = 0.0563 Ib/in 3 vf --0.326 Et = 1.96 x 107 psi Ef = 7.84 x 106 psi
L

Bonding Adhesive

% = 0.208 Ib/in 3 t = 0.001 in

EL

See reference6 for propertiesof graphiteepoxy tape material.

'
t

a. Composite

lattice with bonded plastic film

:,

b.

Lattice

with multiply

latl_hlate

far, o sheet

Figuz'e

5.-

_etches t)res_ure

tlhtetrating l_8,_tble ()r ()ther dl._triimted

nzz_digiz'ldi,zn t_) the lat!i('!, I_ancl l_vd_,

f_et, _h(,(,t I!) ,_,l)l_tt

II

1.0

I
71J/,'cq] %.q_,_

I_

,r ;

,
i I

I
I

|dZJ_

_]-[_L.J

J.

I_L

_I*I

I .....

....

01_ _

_-_'

__ .........

-1

!
I

bti,_ rr

i.. t A{;i,J !',_

Q_

,$
0

D.,, 0

.,,b_