| Customer: ESA/ESTEC (2006 – 2008) | |
 | For large satellite structures, like reflectors or solar array substrates, the design driver is the acoustic load, whereas material with holes lead to significant load reductions. But having holes like in Triax-Material (see figure on the left), the thermo-elastic behaviour has to be known and modelled. |
The main objectives of this activity are:
I. Description of material properties and shell configurations for next generation ultralight reflectors up to Ka band. Existing technologies are limited to the Ku band and are not fully characterised. Also other large structures made out of porous material will be investigated. This description refers especially to the thermal, structural, thermo-elastic and vibro-acoustic properties. RF properties will be measured on samples very early in the work flow for material screening and characterisation.
II. Modelling of the behaviour of materials, in particular:
o Vibro-acoustic modelling of porous materials/triaxial fabrics, comprising material characterisation and a procedure for implementation into Finite/Boundary-Element vibro-acoustic simulation.
o Thermal and thermo-elastic modelling of porous/triaxial shells. Material characterisation and implementation into Finite Element simulation.
III. Verification of thermo-mechanical models and RF performances.
Two levels of measurements are foreseen:
o Samples in order to measure specific material properties and model parameters
o Specimens devoted to model correlation in acoustic and thermo-elastic tests.
This study in contract to ESTEC was conducted with several subcontractors from Germany, Portugal and Sweden.
Publications:
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{filebase_from_id:35}
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Statement of Work:
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