PROTEction of STructures from Lightning Strike (PROTEST)

The PROTEST project is a collaboration between EADS Innovation Works, Airbus, Hexcel, Cardiff University and the National Composites Centre. The increase in the use of composite materials within the aerospace industry has raised concerns over the impact of lightning strikes on these structures. The aerospace industry has been developing its understanding of damage mechanisms to composite structures from lightning strike tests over recent years that has led to a number of isolated computational models. Despite these developments, the most recent aircraft programmes have suffered from non-compliance to safety requirements and late modifications to design have been needed to ensure certification. This project will address two key aspects; the derivation and collation of specific data on the impact of lightning strike on key elements of the structure of an aircraft, and the integration of this information and existing models into predictive tools available for the design process. The project will form a core component of the research within the Aerospace Technology Institute in the development of the next generation of aerostructures.