VABS - A NEW CONCEPT FOR COMPOSITE ROTOR BLADE CROSS-SECTIONAL MODELING

A general framework for modeling composite rotor blades is presented. This framework extracts from a three-dimensional elasticity formulatio n two sets of analyses: one over the cross section, providing elastic constants that can be used in a suitable set of beam equations, and th e other the beam equations themselves. The cross-sectional analysis, a long with the accompanying engineering software (VABS), provides an ac curate beam representation of the blade structure, allowing a designer to take advantage of composite materials when designing rotor blades, VABS is able to take into consideration anisotropic, nonhomogeneous m aterials and to represent general cross-sectional geometries, requirin g neither the costly use of 3-D finite element discretization nor the loss: of accuracy inherent in any simplified representation of the cro ss section. Results obtained from analysis of a variety of composite b eams are presented. The generality of the method and accuracy of the r esults should increase confidence at the design stage that the structu re will perform as expected and, consequently, should lower costs from experimental tests and further adjustments.