Potential of Sustainable Materials in Wing Structural Design

The deliberated selection of structural materials has become a topic aspect of aircraft engineering. The reduction of the structural weight by high performance materials has evolved as an essential technology driver in aviation. Facing the challenge of non-renewable resources when using carbon fiber reinforced plastics; one has to continue this quest for load bearing materials including sustainability aspects. In this study, the weight reduction potential of natural fiber composites for load bearing structures is highlighted. For this purpose, a model of a civil transport aircraft (airbus A320-200) has been set up. The weight of the respective wingbox is calculated using material properties of preliminary defined natural fiber composites (NFC); the results are compared to a reference wingbox made of an aluminum-alloy of the 7000 series. Being aware of the lower mechanical properties (young's modulus and yield strength) of NFCs compared to aluminum, a weight reduction potential of 12-14% when using Ramie fiber composites can be found caused by a reduced density of these materials without compromising structural integrity. Composites with Hemp and Flax fibers, however, increase the structural weight. In conclusion, results suggest that natural fibers shall not be excluded categorically from applications in load bearing components for aviation.