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Research Goal/Thesis
The purpose of this research project is to investigate the effectiveness and viability of composite chassis components through the design and implementation of structural “sandwich” panels. These will be pursued for an increased strength-to-weight ratio as well as higher stiffness as compared to a conventional tubular frame.
Design Process
Sandwich Panel
To start, the design of the structural “sandwich” panel is achieved by utilizing two outer carbon fiber layers and inserting a core structure between them, typically with aluminum honeycomb, foam, or Nomex.
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Additionally, the core material of the panel is utilized to effectively transfer loads across the entire of area of the carbon fiber, as well as resist shear loads and bending stresses across the carbon fiber. The material of the core structure is determined based upon the application.
In the case of a structural chassis panel, where thermal conductivity is a minimal issue and structural rigidity is the top concern, aluminum honeycomb seems to be the most applicable core material.
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Need to look more into why aluminum as opposed to other core materials
This also means we need to understand all the dimensions associated with honeycomb, how that affects each material, what each material’s use case is
Essentially need to make a decision matrix for core material selection
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Need to also dive further into carbon fiber
i.e. exam the differences between uni-directional, twill weave etc.
look into how laminae/ply stacking works (essentially what orientations should we utilize to make panels that work best for our application)
Need to also examine epoxies that work for this application
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Honeycomb Properties and Dimensions
Look into the differences in each material (stiffness, use case, sourceability, cost, focus on nomex and aluminum)
Understand and label how each property of honeycomb affects the properties of the core material (length, width, thickness, cell size, cell shape, density, etc.)
Decision matrix between aluminum honeycomb and nomex honeycomb
Carbon Fiber Properties and Dimensions
Look into the different types of carbon fiber available (uni-directional, twill weave, figure out their stiffness, use case, sourceability, cost, ease of manufacturing when creating a laminate)
Understand pre-preg vs non pre-preg
Look into the bonding process for each type of carbon fiber (necessary epoxy/resin properties), as well as how orientation affects a composite structure
Mounting Solutions
In terms of mounting components to the panels or even mounting the panels themselves to a tubular area of the car, there are various solutions to accommodate each specific application.
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