Optimal Design and Testing of a Thermoplastic Pressurized Passenger Door Manufactured Using Thermoforming

The present paper documents and discusses research work associated with a newly designed passenger door structure demonstrator. The composite structure was manufactured from carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin. A composite frame with a variable cross-section was designed, optimized, and fabricated using thermoforming technology. Both numerical simulations and experiments supported structural verification according to the damage tolerance philosophy; i.e., impact damage is presented. The Tsai-Wu and maximal stress criteria were used for damage analysis of the composite parts. Topological optimization of the metal hinges from the point of view of weight reduction was used. All expected parameters and proposed requirements of the mechanical properties were proved and completed. The door panel showed an expected numerically evaluated residual strength (ultimate structure load) as well as meeting airworthiness requirements. No impact damage propagation in the composite parts was observed during mechanical tests, even though visible impact damage was introduced into the structure. No significant difference between the numerical simulations and the experimentally measured total deformation was observed. Repeated deformation measurements during fatigue showed a nonlinear structure behavior. This can be attributed to the relaxation of thermoplastics.