COCOMAT - improved material exploitation of composite airframe structures by accurate simulation of postbuckling and collapse

European aircraft industry demands for reduced development and operating costs, by 20% and 50% in the short and long term, respectively. The 4-year running project COCOMAT contributes to this aim by reducing structural weight at safe design; it exploits considerable reserves in primary fibre composite fuselage structures by accurate and reliable simulation of collapse. Collapse is specified by that point of the load-displacement-curve where a sharp decrease occurs thus limiting the load carrying capacity. COCOMAT, which is supported by the European Commission within the 6th Framework Programme started on 1 January 2004. This paper deals with the main objectives and expected results of the project as well as the planned theoretical and experimental work. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.