Exploring Design Options for Wing Leading Edge Against Bird Strike

This study investigates the effects of bird strike on the wing leading edge of a trainer aircraft in accordance with the European Aviation Safety Agency’s CS-23 standards (“Normal, Utility, Aerobatic and Commuter Aeroplanes,” Certification Specifications, Part 23, Occupant Physical Environment), and it compares various options for the design of energy-absorbing support structures. In this study, the bird model with hemispherical-ended cylindrical geometry is simulated using the smoothed particle hydrodynamics finite element approach. After validating the impact of the bird model on a rigid plate, a bird strike on the wing leading edge is modeled; and the results are compared with the existing experimental and simulation data available in the literature. Finally, different design options for the support structure configurations of the wing leading edge (including traditional rib design, honeycomb sandwich, triangular reinforcement, and negative Poisson ratio structures) are evaluated, and the results are compared. It is found that a honeycomb sandwich panel support structure provides the best collision and weight performance. © 2023, AIAA International. All rights reserved.
This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK) project no. 20AG027 under program no. 20AG001, the TUBITAK Bilim İnsanı Destek Program-ları Başkanlığı (BIDEB) 2209-B Undergraduate Research Project Support Program for Industry 2020/1, and the Turkish Aerospace Industry under the Lift-Up Program 2020/2021.
2020/2021; Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştırma Kurumu, TÜBİTAK: 20AG001, 20AG027