Mechanically Optimized Composite Perforated Acoustic Panel

Composites made using carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers, or CFRPs, are widely used in aerospace applications because of their stiffness and low weight, but their mechanical properties after processing, such as drilling, are not well understood. Software can emulate the mechanical behavior of CFRPs but physical tests are needed to validate such models are needed. The goal of this project is to quantify mechanical properties of CFRPs for a specific application using tests defined by the American Society for Testing and Materials. Acoustic perforated panels help reduce noise pollution inside aircraft, and CFRPs would be an ideal material for these panels, but would require extensive drilling. Because CFRPs are highly abrasive and tend to delaminate, high-speed steel drill bits quickly suffer catastrophic wear. The team ran ASTM tests to evaluate the tensile, shear, and compressive strength of the CFRPs before and after perforations. As part of the project, the team made a critical make/buy decision to produce the panels, made processing decisions to prepare testing specimens to specifications, oversaw material processing, ran the ASTM tests, and documented all results.