The Plymouth Student Scientist
Document Type
Engineering, Computing and Mathematics Article
Abstract
Despite composites comprising 50% of modern aircraft structures, the absence of a standardised method for measuring out-of-plane permeability frequently results in manufacturing defects in early-development aerospace components, directly impacting safety, manufacturing efficiency and costs. This study aimed to address this gap, by designing and commissioning a compact, vacuum-assisted, mass flow test rig, capable of evaluating the saturated out-of-plane permeability of a variety of materials. This design incorporated learnings from theory, previous studies and discussions with industry experts. E-glass, a Metyx unidirectional carbon and the Teijin ITS55 carbon were investigated, where E-glass exhibited the highest permeability of 1.88E-12m2, while Teijin ITS55 demonstrated minimal flow, likely indicating impermeability. The resultant data supported the permeability-Vf relationship, as the measured permeability decreased by one order of magnitude due to an increasing fibre volume fraction of 4.6%. However, the investigations of sample layer alignment proved inconclusive. Although direct comparison with previous studies was limited by material differences, the measured permeability values were within one order of magnitude for all materials except the Teijin ITS55 which had no available data. The experimental results demonstrated consistent repeatability, with most configurations showing variation within a factor of ±0.5 of the mean. These findings confirm the test rig successfully demonstrated accuracy and repeatability sufficient for comparative industrial analysis, addressing the critical gap in permeability measurement identified in literature and industrial practice. This enables aerospace manufacturers to select appropriate composite materials, thus reducing manufacturing defects, lowering costs and improving structural reliability. However, addressing identified limitations, especially in real-time temperature measurement and sample consistency, remains crucial for improving long-term reliability and industry adoption.
Publication Date
2025-12
Publication Title
The Plymouth Student Scientist
Volume
18
Issue
2
ISSN
1754-2383
Deposit Date
2025-12
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Park, Callum
(2025)
"Design and validation of an industrial out-of-plane permeability test rig of fibre preforms for the development of next generation aircraft structures,"
The Plymouth Student Scientist: Vol. 18:
Iss.
2, Article 26.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70156/1754-2383.1516
Available at:
https://pearl.plymouth.ac.uk/tpss/vol18/iss2/26
