For several years, the Air Force Wright Laboratory has been investigating smart structures technologies. Smart structures incorporate active materials into structural components. Active materials either sense their environment or change in response to an external stimulus or both, and also should be able to carry loads. A smart structure is thus capable of sensing and/or reacting to its environment. Smart structures research at Wright Laboratory has mainly concentrated on aircraft sensory structures and multi-functional structures, such as integrated antennae (i.e., smart skins). Several major programs were initiated to apply and demonstrate these technologies. Recently, the ability of active materials (piezoceramics, for example) to control aircraft structures for improved performance and longevity, has received attention as well. The smart structures technologies are categorized as sensory, active, or multi-functional. The current state of the art for each area and programs aimed at exploiting smart technologies for aircraft applications are described. Gaps in the current technology are identified.


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    Title :

    Aircraft Smart Structures Research in the USAF Wright Laboratory


    Contributors:
    G. S. Agnes (author) / K. Silva (author)

    Publication date :

    1993


    Size :

    9 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




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