RE: Boeing 787 Wing Bend Test......

brad kaste

brad kaste

Charter Member
RE: Boeing 787 Wing Bend Test......







This is a recent wing strength test video on the new Boeing 787 which has a ‘composite wing’ versus an ‘all metal wing’. This particular wing test was taken to 50% beyond the design limit of the 787 wing without a structural failure -which is quite an accomplishment. Still makes a pilot cringe to see a wing bent this much even if it is a controlled test.




http://787flighttest.com/hanger/wp-content/plugins/flash-video-player/mediaplayer/player.swf?streamer=rtmp://cp81820.edgefcs.net/ondemand/tpn/firstflight/&file=TestLog4.flv
 
Always a tense moment... but of course all airliners go through this as part of certification, and the wing is designed to go to 150% of design load.
The B777 wing bust at 154%
[YOUTUBE]Ai2HmvAXcU0[/YOUTUBE]

Wonder why they didn't show the 787 wing going to destruction?
 
I'm not sure their test rig was capable of bending the wing far enough to cause the type of obvious catastrophic failure that metal wings exibit.
 
Ornithopters next?
Must remember though that although it looks a great deal of deflection, plastics (including laminates & composites) have a higher flexural modulus than most metals.
Still, very impressive, & quite a design feat for the bits that connect to the main structure to allow that much movement - Flaps, slats, spoilers, lift dumpers, not to mention fuel & hydraulic pipes, cables even.
Keith
 
Wing_Z said:
Wonder why they didn't show the 787 wing going to destruction?
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone wants to see a composite wing fail, even if it's a test. Lots of black straw when the carbon fibre fails, plus it'd take Boeing a fortnight to sweep that building clean of resinous dust - and I didn't see anyone wearing dust protection respirators with these hard hats and high-viz vests.
 
Well they do clear the building, in case it does go!
Actually looking at the amount of deflection to achieve 150% load...
I wonder in practice if it would ever see an aerodynamic load like that - the thing would just bend away and shed load!
OK it would drop like a stone, too...
 
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