Effects of the lightning impact on aircraft with structures formed by composite materials

Abstract

In the competitive aeronautical world there is a continuous search for aircraft performance, safety and operational costs optimization. The search for new materials with more adequate characteristics for these purposes is inducing several manufacturers to use composite materials in replacement of aluminum in aircraft primary structures. Despite the great number of advantages in terms of weight, manufacturing improvements, reparability and fatigue characteristics of these materials, a main disadvantage is its lower electrical conductivity. In this article, focus is given to the more immediate effects of these electrical characteristics in terms of damage in case of lightning impact and also to the effects due to the exposition of the installed systems and equipment to the intense electromagnetic fi elds resultant of this impact.