Abstract

The uptake of composites is adversely influenced by current regulations in some sectors, whilst other sectors where composites are well accepted and used increasingly are facing challenges directly linked to current practices for validation and certification. The most prominent example is the aerospace sector, which represents a success story for the adoption of composites, and where composites validation/certification is conducted through a rigorous performance-based framework known as the ‘building block approach’ (or ‘testing pyramid’). However, there is evidence and awareness that the building block approach which relies heavily of physical testing poses severe challenges linked to high costs of certification and time to market. Research programs around the world aim to unlock the use of composites by developing the foundations of virtual testing, validation and eventually certification frameworks that rely less on costly and time consuming physical testing and more on numerical simulations. An example is the CerTest project funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The presentation will discuss the fundamental challenges linked to uncertainty quantification, and recent progress on the development of enabling methodologies for multi-scale modelling integrated with advanced physical testing on sub-structure/component scale, utilizing a Bayesian Design of Experiments process for data fusion and uncertainty quantification.

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Biography

Ole Thomsen is Co-Director & NCC Professor of Composites Manufacturing and Design, Bristol Composites Institute, University of Bristol, UK. Previous positions in Denmark, Netherlands, USA, Israel and the UK. Key expertise areas: structural design, analysis, testing and manufacturing of composites and composite structures. Chairman of the Danish Research Council for Technology and Productions Sciences / Independent Research Fund Denmark 2012-2014 (equivalent to US NSF, and UK EPSRC). Published more than 450 papers, >130 in archival journals. He has led multiple research projects funded by national and European research councils and industry, with a total funding portfolio of over £40M. Co-Editor-in-Chief, Composites Part B: Engineering (Elsevier, IF=14.2). Knighted by Queen Margrethe II of Denmark in 2012, and is an elected Fellow of the Danish Academy of Technical Sciences.