The Fibre Composite Helicopter Blade

Abstract

Summary In Part 1 expressions are derived for the coupled torsional, extensional and flexural stiffnesses of a fibre composite tube, such as a helicopter blade, which is subjected to torsion, longitudinal tension, chordwise and flapping bending moments and shear. The theory is an extension of Batho-Bredt engineering analysis and is valid for a cylindrical tube of arbitrary cross-section with an arbitrary circumferential distribution of fibre composite plies. Particular attention is paid to the coupling effects in which an asymmetric fibre lay-up results in a twisting of the tube under bending and/or tension. Consideration is also given to the influence on the stiffness characteristics of an initial twist in the tube. In Part 2 the analysis of Part 1 is developed numerically for tubes representative of GFRP blades. Static and dynamic aspects are considered which pave the way for aeroelastic tailoring studies of such blades.