The production of hybrid layered composites allows comprehensive modification of their properties and adaptation to the final expectations. Different methods, such as hand lay-up, vacuum bagging, and resin infusion were applied to manufacture the hybrid composites. In turn, fabrics used for manufacturing composites were made of glass (G), aramid (A), carbon (C), basalt (B), and flax (F) fibers. Flexural, puncture impact behavior, and cone calorimetry tests were applied to establish the effect of the manufacturing method and the fabrics layout on the mechanical and fire behavior of epoxy-based laminates. The lowest flammability and smoke emission were noted for composites made by vacuum bagging (approximately 40% lower values of total smoke release compared with composites made by the hand lay-up method). It was demonstrated that multi-layer hybrid composites made by vacuum bagging might enhance the fire safety levels and simultaneously maintain high mechanical properties designed for, e.g., the railway and automotive industries.

The active twist control of helicopter rotor blades by an application of macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuators leads to significant vibration and noise reduction without the need for complex mechanisms in the rotating systems. For environmental improvement an optimal design methodology based on planning experiments and response surface technique has been developed for an active twist of helicopter rotor blades consisting of C-spar made of unidirectional GFRP, skin made of +45°/−45° GFRP, foam core, MFC actuators embedded into the skin and balance weight. The structural static analysis with thermal load, static torsion analysis and modal analysis using 3D finite element models has been developed using ANSYS for the optimal design. In this case thermal strain analogy between piezoelectric strains and thermally induced strains is used to model piezoelectric effects. The optimization results have been obtained for four design solutions connected with the application of active materials.

The design methodology based on the planning of experiments and response surface technique has been developed for an optimum placement of Macro Fiber Composite (MFC) actuators in the helicopter rotor blades. The baseline helicopter rotor blade consists of D‐spar made of UD GFRP, skin made of +450/‐450 GFRP, foam core, MFC actuators placement on the skin and balance weight. 3D finite element model of the rotor blade has been built by ANSYS, where the rotor blade skin and spar “moustaches” are modeled by the linear layered structural shell elements SHELL99, and the spar and foam ‐ by 3D 20‐node structural solid elements SOLID 186. The thermal analyses of 3D finite element model have been developed to investigate an active twist of the helicopter rotor blade. Strain analogy between piezoelectric strains and thermally induced strains is used to model piezoelectric effects. The optimisation results have been obtained for design solutions, connected with the application of active materials, and checked by the finite element calculations.