PSI - Issue 71

M. Mohan Kumar et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 71 (2025) 333–339

336

Load

Fig. 4. Simulation of boundary conditions in the wing FE model.

4. Full Scale Static testing of the Composite wing 4.1 Test Rig and Loading Details

The static test setup, depicted in Fig. 5, consists of a support test rig made up of vertical columns with circular and square steel cross-sections. These vertical box sections are interconnected by box beams to form a sturdy framework. Four steel attachment brackets, simulating the fuselage end of the trainer aircraft, are mounted on the support test rig. These brackets connect to the wing attachment lugs through a lap joint, secured by four 9.53 mm diameter bolts fastened with 11 N-m of torque. The wing is positioned with its bottom surface facing upwards to simplify the loading arrangement. The rig is specifically designed to withstand the reaction loads generated during testing. The entire test rig, including the loading fixtures, was designed, analysed, and fabricated in-house. For the one-wheel landing case, both Z and X loads were applied at the landing gear attachment bracket holes on all four landing gear attachment points. The X load was applied using a screw jack mechanism connected through calibrated load cells, while the portal frame, fixed to the base rig, was used for load application on the MLG attachments.

RHS

LHS

X Load (combined)

Z Load MLG front

Z Load MLG Rear

Fig. 5. Static strength test setup of HANSA-NG wing for one-wheel landing load case.

4.2 Test Instrumentation During the Static Strength Test, the structural response of the wing, including strain measurements, was closely monitored using strain gauges placed at critical locations. A total of nine stacked rosette gauges and two linear gauges were bonded at various points, including the outer skins on both the top and bottom surfaces, the main spar flanges, the web, and the root rib webs of the wing. The specific locations of the strain gauges on the wing are illustrated in Fig. 6.