AMTT: Aerospace materials technology testhouse

• Research unit: EU RFP
• Project number: 02.0082-2

Key words (English)

Thermal expansion of carbon fibre laminates

Alternative project number (English)

EU project number: HPRI-CT-1999-00024

Research programs (English)

EU-programme: 5. Frame Research Programme - 4.2 Agriculture and agroindustry

Short description (English)

See abstract

Abstract (English)

Carbon fibres (and to a certain extent polymeric fibres) show a contraction with increasing temperature,i.e. negative coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE). This contraction is accompanied by a large transverse CLTE. The layout of carbon fibre laminates can be arranged so that a negligible coefficient of thermal expansion occurs. Two problems arise: the change in CLTE with temperature and the determination of the stress free temperature which is the reference for thermal expansion of the composite. With this know how it becomes possible to design truss systems with a negligible expansion or exhibiting a homologous behaviour, i.e. no shear deformation of the structure under thermal loads.

References in databases (English)

Swiss Database: Euro-DB of the
State Secretariat for Education and Research
Hallwylstrasse 4
CH-3003 Berne, Switzerland
Tel. [phone]
Swiss Project-Number: 02.0082-2