Comparison of numerical analyses of a composite wing component subjected to 4-point bending

In this paper, a comparison between six finite element models of a representative wing structural component performed in the context of Optimised Design for Inspection (ODIN) project of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) is presented. Six partners from six different countries involved in the project received the drawing of the structure, the material properties, the loading and boundary conditions. Each partner, based on their background and experience in numerical analyses, developed a finite element model with different levels of details and accuracy and performed a blind prediction of the structural behaviour of the wing component. The numerical results are presented and compared with the experimental test data conducted at Cardiff University.