Investigation on composite energy absorbers of a composite fuselage section subjected to vertical drop test

In the aircraft industry, crashworthiness design and certification phases have been and are going to be the most attractive topics for designers, mostly because of the increasing use of composites for primary structural components. It is well known that the cargo subfloor elements of the fuselage structure play a crucial role in absorbing the kinetic energy during a crash. In particular, the stanchions, or struts, are important parts for the structural response; as a matter of fact, they connect the fuselage frames to the cabin’s floor and, ideally, are expected to crush under a compressive force in order to dissipate the impact energy in a controlled way and, consequently, to minimize the energy transferred to the passengers. The aim of this work is to demonstrate, experimentally and numerically, the energy absorption capability of the stanchions, made of both composite material and aluminium alloy, of a full-scale 95% composites made fuselage section under a critical load condition, such as an emergency landing. A Finite Element model allowing estimating the passive safety capabilities of the designed struts has been developed and herein proposed.