Browsing by Advisor/Supervisor
Now showing items 1-14 of 14
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Accelerating the fatigue life characterization of composite sailplane structures - a novel approach
(North-West University (South Africa), 2020)Current accepted methods of composite sailplane life certification are based on full scale structural testing of the aircraft’s wing. Two accepted test procedures exist, namely a static test to an elevated load level and ... -
The aeroelastic tailoring of a high aspect-ratio composite structure
(2014)The aim of this investigation was to review literature for the most suitable aeroelastic tailoring analysis tools for long slender composite structures, and integrate them into an aeroelastic tailoring process. The JS1C ... -
Development of an active pitch control system for wind turbines
(North-West University, 2008)A wind turbine needs to be controlled to ensure its safe and optimal operation, especially during high wind speeds. The most common control objectives are to limit the power and rotational speed of the wind turbine by using ... -
Evaluation of the Multiple Load Sequence methodology for GFRP fatigue life prediction
(North-West University (South Africa)., 2022)The current preferred static certification method used in the sailplane industry as defined by aviation governing bodies limits the allowable service life to 12 000 Flight Hours (Fh) which is problematic for current ... -
An experimental investigation into the fatigue life of glass fibre in an epoxy matrix
(North-West University (South Africa) , Potchefstroom Campus, 2015)During flight, aircraft are subjected to dynamic flight as well as a dynamic environment, resulting in variable stresses in the wings and other structural components. These variable stresses cause cumulative material damage ... -
Experimental investigation of water absorption in polymer-matrix composite structures
(North-West University (South Africa)., 2022)Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs) are commonly used in modern sailplanes in the primary load-bearing structure. All competition-class sailplanes make use of water ballast tanks in the wings to improve performance in certain ... -
The flutter analysis of the JS1 glider
(North-West University, 2007)A flutter analysis of the new prototype 18-meter glass glider, the JS1 Revelation, was performed. The analysis was conducted in two main parts, a modal analysis done by a ground vibration test, followed by a flutter ... -
Investigation into the effect of Peel Ply surface preparation on adhesive bond performance
(2020)An adhesive joint’s strength is directly proportional to the quality of its bonding surface. One element influencing the quality of the bonding surface is the surface preparation before adhesive application. There are ... -
Modelling the resin infusion under flexible tooling process : a physical and genetic approach
(North-West University, 2006)Resin Infusion under Flexible Tooling (RIFT) is a process by which resin is infused through the fibres through the application of a vacuum. Only a one-sided mould is used and the other side is covered with a flexible bag. ... -
A numerical investigation of the crashworthiness of a composite glider cockpit
(2015)Finite element analysis with explicit time integration is widely used in commercial crash solvers to accurately simulate transient structural problems involving large-deformation and nonlinearity. Technological advances ... -
Preliminary design of a self launching system for the JS1 glider
(North-West University, 2009)In this project a preliminary design of a self-launching system for the JS1 sailplane was attempted. The design was done according to CS-22 airworthiness requirements for sailplanes, which governs sailplane design. The ... -
A preliminary theoretical flutter analysis of the JS1 glider
(North-West University, 2004)A preliminary theoretic flutter analysis of the new JS1 18m-class glider was performed by means of analytic methods. This analysis consisted of a detailed modal analysis using finite element modelling followed by the flutter ... -
The structural design of the tailplane of the JS1 glider
(North-West University, 2003)A new technique was developed with which to accurately predict the mechanical properties of composite materials without the influence of fluctuating thickness of the composite due to the matrix material. Using this technique ... -
Viability of 3D fused filament fabrication for aerospace applications
(North-West University (South Africa), 2021)This study investigates the possible utilization of modern three-dimensional (3D) fused filament fabrication (FFF) in engineering applications. These FFF machines use filament that are usually made from PLA or ABS, coiled ...
