Study of Passive and Active Deformation Behaviors of Hybrid Specimens Made of Composite Substrates and MFC Piezoelectric Patches

An important step of the FutureWings project, funded by the European Commission within the 7th framework, concerns the numerical and experimental validation of the mechanical behavior of hybrid specimens. These kinds of specimens, that have been designed manufactured and tested within the project’s partnership, are made of thin carbon and glass substrates on which some MFC piezoelectric patches have been glued. Within the objectives of the project, the study of passive and active deformation characteristics of the hybrid composite material will help in the definition of the geometry of a small scale model of a self deforming wingbox. The paper describes the basic assumptions made to define the specimen geometries and to carry out the experimental tests. The comparison between the numerical (FE results) and the experimental data (laser technique measurements) has been executed: it shows a very good agreement for the displacements distribution along the specimens. More in particular both bending deformations and torsion deformations have been studied using the hybrid specimens: these type of deformation capability will be used in the development of a three-dimensional beam, with a cross section having an aerodynamic shape, that thank to the electric control of the MFC patches will be able to change the curvature of the profile's skeleton and to change the angle of attack of the profile by means of a torsional deformation.