Index
Wackett Aerospace Centre Research
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Academic staff and contracted researchers may conduct research and consultancy at the Wackett Aerospace Centre in collaboration with the aerospace and associated industries on new or ongoing commercial aerospace programs or projects through research agreements. Staff and researchers are encouraged to apply for competitive research grants linked with the aerospace industry and to develop research capabilities for commercial application in the industry. Post-graduate research degree candidates in Aerospace Engineering, Aviation Sciences, Mathematical and Geospatial Sciences and Electrical and Computer Engineering Sciences may undertake their research in the Centre. Undergraduate degree candidates in aerospace engineering participate in international aerospace design competitions through the Wackett Centre. Researchers from other international universities participate in the Wackett Centre research activities as research trainees. |
Wackett Aerospace Centre Research in the News
Postgraduate research projects
Aerodynamic Optimisation of Morphed Wing Design for a Multi-Mission Re-Configurable Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Manas Khurana
Doctoral Candidate
Email: s2108860@student.rmit.edu.au
The need to develop a Multi-Mission Platform for military and civilian sectors is an area of active research within the aerospace industry. Current aircraft employ fixed-geometry therefore a compromise in aircraft performance between mission segments is required. Morphing of wings can be used to optimize the performance of a mission profile, thus resulting in fuel saving and enhanced operating capability. The focus of this research is to develop a family of airfoils through inverse aerodynamic design. An intelligent optimisation model is integrated to a high-fidelity flow solver to compute the aerodynamics and energy requirements of morphing airfoils.
Development of an Optimum Scheduling Technique for a Helicopter Fleet
Leonard Winata
Doctoral Candidate
Email: leonard.winata@rmit.edu.au
The focus of this study is to develop an optimisation algorithm for scheduling the operations and maintenance of a helicopter fleet with complex maintenance inspection routines and operational requirements. The fleet consist of multiple helicopters operating from multiple maintenance bases, where each helicopter undergoes a number of different maintenance checks and overhauls, as per the manufacturer’s specifications. The optimum schedule refers to a maintenance arrangement that will minimise cost while maintaining required mission and availability.
Development of a Novel Usage Monitoring Technique for Helicopter Dynamic Components
Dipesh Parekh
Doctoral Candidate
Email: dipesh.parekh@rmit.edu.au
Usage monitoring for helicopter dynamic components involves deduction of actual usage of a component over time which results in extended component life, reduced maintenance costs and increased safety. This research project aims to develop a novel hybrid technique which integrates linear regression and artificial neural networks for determining helicopter dynamic components loads based on fixed airframe measurements. Existing data driven- and physics based-models have inherent limitations which are overcome by this model. The effectiveness of the hybrid technique to obtain accurate loads on the dynamic components is compared and contrasted with the individual approaches and assessed accordingly.
Investigation into the Post-Repair performance of Ti-6Al-4V after Occurrence of F.O.D.
Nicholas Orchowski
Doctoral Candidate
Email: S3106209@student.rmit.edu.au
Foreign Object Damage (F.O.D.) is an unavoidable and serious problem for aircraft. One of the ways its effects can be minimised is to improve the repair technology being used in the industry and to increase the accuracy of the guidelines governing maintenance procedures. This research project aims to develop an analytical tool for the classification of F.O.D. impacts and the most effective repair method to be used. Several repair conditions currently being looked at (but not limited to) are the no repair case, traditional grind repair, laser cladding (rebuilding) and localised melting using a laser to remove the damage.
Durability of Laser Assisted Repair s in Critical Steel Aircraft Structure
Stephen Sun
Doctoral Candidate
Email: S3134576@student.rmit.edu.au
High power laser powder deposition (LPD) is being used to investigate the possibility of repairing damaged high strength steel components used in aerospace application such as landing gears. High strength steel parts are fracture sensitive and the presence of even a small crack could reduce safety. The aim is to assess the risks of LPD repair failing in service and explore possible life extension methods which could assist with improving the fatigue life and corrosion resistance of a repaired region. The potential pay-off is large, since a successful method would allow manufacturers and users to maximise the useful service life of costly parts.
Prediction of Stable Tearing in Aircraft Fatigue
Md Fairuz ab Rahman
Doctoral Candidate
Email: S3216571@student.rmit.edu.au
Fatigue cracking in aircraft metallic materials is still a threat, and accurate prediction of fatigue crack growth is vital for sustaining structural integrity in many aircraft fleets. Accurate crack growth prediction is complicated when stable tearing occurs, visible as bands on fatigue fracture surfaces. The stable tearing may represent a large proportion of the surface, making analysis of fatigue history difficult, but one key difficulty is that currently no validated prognostic model is available. This research aims to identify the key parameters, which influence the tearing onset/ arrest, and the factors which control crack shape change as tearing progresses in aircraft aluminium alloys, and uses crack growth resistance curve to develop an analytical and prognostic model.
Safety risks in aircraft joints associated with the use of corrosion treatments
I Gusti Agung Aditya Jaya (Adit Jaya)
Doctoral Candidate
Email: S3090433@student.rmit.edu.au
This research investigates the effect of corrosion treatments on the fatigue life of mechanically fastened joints typically used in General Aviation and small airliners. While the now-widespread use of Corrosion Inhibiting Compounds (CICs), which is part of Corrosion Prevention and Control Program (CPCP) in aviation industry can provide substantial benefits in retarding corrosion development, there is a risk that the structural fatigue life of joints will be reduced by their use, but not always, and that cracking may occur in additional, unanticipated locations. In addition, there have been no guidelines capable of defining a safety factor that can be used to predict the fatigue life of mechanically fastened joint with the application of CICs. The reduction in joint life may detract from or negate any economic benefits of the improved corrosion performance.
Damage tolerance based life assessment for helicopter components
Sunny Lok Hin Chan
Doctoral Candidate
Email: s3107904@student.rmit.edu.au
Current helicopter fatigue designs are based on safe-life approach; a method that utilizes statistical data on specimens’ failure to predict the life of a component. Although a large safety factor is involved, many components experience failure before reaching their safe lives raising concerns about safety and increased operational costs. This project is investigating the possibility of adopting a damage tolerance design methodology for helicopters to enhance safety and to reduce the cost of maintenance and operations.
Bonded composite repairs for aircraft primary structures
Matthew Donough
Doctoral Candidate
Email: m.donough@student.rmit.edu.au
Adhesively bonded repairs are the most common repair carried out on composite structures. Repairs range from structurally efficient scarf repairs to easily implemented external patch repairs. A bonded joint represents a bi-material body and stress singularities arise due to abrupt changes in geometry and material properties. Certification issues have limited its usage in safety critical structures as the quality of the bonded joint cannot be examined non-destructively. Hence leading to over-design of the joint repair and lower structurally efficiency. The CRC-ACS has just begun a 5 year (dated June 2010) project to address some of these issues with bonded composite repairs.
A Performance Based Assessment System for Multi-Platform Military Rotary Wing and Fixed Wing Applications
Andre Pozzetti
Doctoral Candidate
Email: andre.pozzetti@student.rmit.edu.au
In an attempt to lower the overall cost of defence war-fighter acquisitions, many governments are imposing performance based contracting methods upon acquisition and through life support contracts. Prime contractors are presented with a variety of complex management and technical issues, particularly if that contractor is also responsible for multiple platforms and corresponding contracts. This research will involve investigating ways to develop and implement a performance based contract methodology into a useful software tool to allow governments and subsequent prime contractors to simulate, implement and maintain multiple contracts across multiple platforms.
Improved Composite Scarf Joint Repairs
Samuel Neilson
Doctoral Candidate
Email: samuel.neilson@rmit.edu.au
The scarf joint is a commonly used composite repair technique, which allows for good strength recovery of a damaged component. Current procedure involves removing material from a region surrounding a detected flaw in order to accommodate the scarf repair, then laying and curing the patch in situ using the materials and lay-up of the parent structure. Shallow scarf angles (≈2–5°) are commonly used, resulting in a large amount of undamaged material being removed to facilitate the repair. Implementing a variable scarf angle and/or repair ply layup, would allow for a reduction of this undamaged material wastage, while still maintaining good repair strength. The focus of this research is to optimise various aspects of the scarf joint repair and to detail methodologies which will allow these optimisation techniques to be applied on a case-by-case basis.
Optimisation of Transitionary Aspects of Free Flight
Paul Simon
Doctoral Candidate
Email: paul.simon@student.rmit.edu.au
This research covers the analysis, understanding and optimisation of transitionary aspects of Free Flight (FF). It would allow the efficient installation, development and exploitation of all elements and entities that use a FF based Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. It could lead to the creation of an air traffic system where pilots are responsible for the interaction of their aircraft. The research considers current methods of handling; Air Asset Interaction & Cooperation, Dynamic & Structured Air Space, Advanced Flexible Use of Air Space, Free Flight Capacity Limits, Aircraft Performance Limits, Adoption of New Technologies, and Adaptation of Legacy Technologies. In doing so, it attempts to find commonalities between current ATC and FF that would allow a smoother transition between each.
