This project’s primary research goal is to develop a reliable method to design, manufacture, and test filament wound cylindrical shells for applications in rocket airframes. Currently, the design of s..
This project’s primary research goal is to develop a reliable method to design, manufacture, and test filament wound cylindrical shells for applications in rocket airframes. Currently, the design of shells relies on a complicated finite element analysis or empirically derived knockdown factors applied to analytical solutions. The scope of this research includes using both of these methods and comparing them to each other as well as experimental results. The current stage of the project is investigating cylindrical shell buckling of monocoque cylindrical shells under pure axial compression. The manufacturing of the shells is being performed with the assistance of Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society, and the testing is being performed in Embry-Riddle’s Materials Testing Lab. The end goal of the research is to publish the data and results in hopes of encouraging the design of safer and more efficient rocket structures in university built sounding rockets.