Mechanical behavior in compression of skin-added X-lattice composite panel with corrugated ribs

This study proposes a skin-added X-lattice composite structure consisting of corrugated ribs and a very thin skin, as an alternative form of anisogrid composites, for the efficient light weight structural concept under compression loading. The high mechanical capability of skin-added X-lattice structures is numerically analyzed, followed by introduction of the related manufacturing method. This manufacturing process is composed of preparation of corrugation units and co-curing of the units with a thin skin. The results of compression tests of fabricated X-lattice panels agree with numerical predictions in terms of buckling loads and buckling modes, while skin-added X-lattice panels exhibited somewhat lower buckling load than the prediction. Feasibility of the proposed skin-added X-lattice is demonstrated in this work by fabrication and mechanical characterization. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.