High specific mechanical properties of composites are the reason for their use in various fields, e.g., the aerospace industry. Mechanical joints are still used in the aerospace industry to assembly large aircraft structures. The properties of laminate around the hole can be, however, weakened, compared to their nominal values as a result of a drilling process or cyclic loading. This paper aims at the classification and analysis of imperfections affecting mechanically fastened joints in a laminate structure. A method of modeling the hole vicinity, a gradient material model, as well as the numerical and experimental estimation of laminate deterioration in this area, were proposed and analyzed. Comparative analysis of numerical and experimental results based on displacements of the testing machine grip and the extensometer length confirmed the aforementioned results as consistent in linear ranges. Therefore, joint characteristics obtained based upon measurement of the grip displacement and the ratio of stiffness in linear ranges are sufficient to determine the parameters of a gradient material model. Some imperfections resulting from, e.g., asymmetry, were included in the gradient material model; thus, the obtained weakening of laminate properties in the hole vicinity can be overestimated. Therefore, further analyses of the gradient material model for laminate structures are necessary.

The Polish Air Force operates more than one hundred helicopters of the Mi family (manufactured by Mil Helicopters), equipped with metal main rotor blades. The main rotor blades are among the most stressed components of these structures. For this reason, they are subject to more frequent inspections during operation than other components. One type of damage detected during inspections is the local disbonding of fragments of the anti-erosion layer from the leading edge. This harmless-looking damage is very dangerous, since it quickly leads to the complete detachment of the layer. The leading edge, unprotected by the metal cover, erodes rapidly. The detached layer, when thrown away at high speed, endangers other parts of the helicopter, such as the tail rotor, and may cause damage to other helicopters if flying in formation. The technology supplied by the manufacturer to date has not encompassed the field repair of this type of damage. Therefore, efforts were made to develop repair technology for rapid repairs of blades in field conditions during missions of the Task Force White Eagle in Afghanistan. This article presents the concept of repair technology feasible in field conditions and presents the results of post-repair edge tests. Test results to identify the materials used in the construction of the trailing edge are also presented. The results of materials testing facilitated the development of technological processes, and, in the future, will aid the selection of a substitute bonding paste system with similar parameters that are essential for repairs.

Mechanical joints (e.g. bolted) used for decades are proved to be reliable. They can be assembled and applied in very rough conditions since they are less sensitive to environmental effects than other types of joints (e.g. adhesive). Therefore, they are still employed in aircraft design. High specific stiffness and strength of composite materials (especially CFRP) cause a continuous increase in their usage in aircraft structures. In general, composites are brittle materials and more notch sensitive than metal alloys. Hole making is a necessary stage in manufacturing of a mechanical joint. Holes vicinities are the areas of high stress concentrations and determine load capability of the whole structure. Therefore, mechanical joints of composite parts require a special focus during both a designing and a manufacturing process. The aim of the paper is analysis of potential local material weakness/deterioration caused by a drilling process and its influence on the global response of a mechanical joint. The specimen in the form of a double-shear joint was analyzed. The weakened areas were identified on the basis of NDT ultrasonic analysis. A simple gradient material model was proposed to describe the hole vicinity. Numerical simulations were performed and compared to experimental results.

The aim of this work was to numerically determine the influence of aerodynamic loads on the value of the resonant frequency of the compressor blade. The object of the research was the 1st stage compressor blade of the PZL-10W engine. As part of the research, analytical calculations of the resonance frequency were performed and compared with the literature ones (first, second, and third forms of forced vibrations). In the next step of the investigation, a computational model of the compressor stage (fluid domain and rotors) was built and FSI analysis was performed. This analysis was based on CFD modeling of the state of aerodynamic loads on the blade surfaces, and then these values were imported as external loads for the structural analysis, which was the basis for the modal analysis, in which the resonant frequency of the first three vibration modes was determined. As part of the analyzes, both the influence of aerodynamic loads and the rotational speed of the compressor rotor were verified. Thus, it was possible to evaluate the influence of both the rotational speed (and the arising centrifugal force) and the influence of the emerging aerodynamic load. The results obtained will allow for the assessment of the impact of the aforementioned operating conditions of the aircraft engine on the resonance frequency, which in turn may translate into the durability of critical components of the aircraft engine.

The presented paper proposes a some concept of an evacuation drone that could pick up the wounded from the battlefield and transport them to their final destination for adequate medical care. The existing state of the art of drones and their equipment is described, as well as the possibility of...