Professor Lorenzo Iannucci has been named as the Airbus/RAEng Research Chair in Advanced Composite Design for Aircraft Structures.

He will work with Airbus to develop new Predictive Virtual Testing (PVT) techniques to support the development of the next generation of composite aircraft structures.

Professor Iannucci says “It’s very exciting to be involved in the development of advanced simulations tools, which could lead to fundamentally new structural wing designs using some of the latest composite materials and manufacturing techniques.”

With PVT tools, new composite materials can be tested in a detailed virtual environment. Using this virtual space allows engineers to predict the behaviour of composite materials, and to investigate the best composite design procedures.  Ultimately, PVT can help to reduce the development time of new composite aircraft.

The Royal Academy of Engineering's Research Chairs tackle industry challenges across the full range of engineering disciplines. By focussing on industry-specific research, they strengthen the links between academia and businesses, with industrial partners co-sponsoring the prestigious five-year positions. Professor Iannucci is one of three Research Chairs announced this month by the Royal Academy.

Professor Iannucci adds “It’s a fascinating time to be involved in such developments, especially with the continuous need to improve sustainability.”