SARISTU (Smart Intelligent Aircraft Structures, ACP1-GA-2011-284562, 67M€): This project concerns the challenges posed by the physical integration of smart intelligent structural concepts. It addresses aircraft weight and operational cost reductions as well as an improvement in the flight profile specific aerodynamic performance.
Operational requirements on morphing surfaces necessitate the implementation of an independent, integrated shape sensing system to ensure not only an optimal control of the aerodynamic surface but also failure tolerance and robustness. Developments made for structural health monitoring will be adapted to this task. Similar systems optimized for rapid in-service damage assessment have progressed to a maturity which allows their inclusion in the next generation of aircraft. However, the time consuming application of these sensor systems has to be further improved by integration at the component manufacturing level. The additional benefit of utilization of these adapted systems for part manufacture process and quality control was in SARISTU.
The structural integrity and health monitoring group at Imperial was responsible for developing a Closed loop design for sizing SHM structures. This sizing platform’s aim is to improve and apply an integrated Multilevel methodology to size the outer wing-box having a self sensing structure for intelligent maintenance process. The position of the sensors was optimised at design stage minimising the operative cost.
