Abstract: Described is laminate of a stack of mutually bonded adhesive layers and metal layers. An outer metal layer has spliced metal sheets having overlapping end parts and/or abutting metal sheet edges extending in a first and a different second planar direction of the laminate to define first and second splice lines. Connected to an outer surface are first and second splice straps covering the first and second splice lines. A lateral edge part of each splice strap has a lower bending stiffness than the bending stiffness of the outer metal layer sheets, the edge part being defined as extending from an outer lateral edge of a splice strap over a lateral distance of at least 5 times the edge part average thickness. The laminate may be used for making large structural components, such as a wing or fuselage of an aircraft.

Abstract: Described is a laminate, including a stack of mutually bonded adhesive layers and metal sheets. The laminate includes abutting and/or overlapping metal sheet edges that extend along a length direction within a splicing region. A splice strap is connected to the laminate at an outer surface of the laminate across said splicing region. The splice strap includes one layer of fiber-reinforced adhesive or of metal sheet, or stacked layers of fiber-reinforced adhesive and/or metal sheets. A widest splice strap layer is connected to the laminate over a transverse distance of at least 5 times the widest strap layer thickness, and the widest strap layer has a lower bending stiffness than the bending stiffness of one of the spliced metal sheets.

Abstract: Described is laminate of a stack of mutually bonded adhesive layers and metal layers. An outer metal layer has spliced metal sheets having overlapping end parts and/or abutting metal sheet edges extending in a first and a different second planar direction of the laminate to define first and second splice lines. Connected to an outer surface are first and second splice straps covering the first and second splice lines. A lateral edge part of each splice strap has a lower bending stiffness than the bending stiffness of the outer metal layer sheets, the edge part being defined as extending from an outer lateral edge of a splice strap over a lateral distance of at least 5 times the edge part average thickness. The laminate may be used for making large structural components, such as a wing or fuselage of an aircraft.

Abstract: Described is a laminate, including a stack of mutually bonded adhesive layers and metal sheets. The laminate includes abutting and/or overlapping metal sheet edges that extend along a length direction within a splicing region. A splice strap is connected to the laminate at an outer surface of the laminate across said splicing region. The splice strap includes one layer of fiber-reinforced adhesive or of metal sheet, or stacked layers of fiber-reinforced adhesive and/or metal sheets. A widest splice strap layer is connected to the laminate over a transverse distance of at least 5 times the widest strap layer thickness, and the widest strap layer has a lower bending stiffness than the bending stiffness of one of the spliced metal sheets.

Abstract: A fiber-metal laminate of mutually bonded fiber-reinforced composite layers and metal sheets comprises a combination of a fiber-reinforced composite layer and an adjacent metal sheet, in which combination the properties satisfy the following relations: Elam*Ecomp/(Emetal*tmetal2) has a value between a lower bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf-c)) with b=0.36 and c=0.3??(1a) and zero when Vf?0.3,??(1b) and an upper bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf-c)) with b=0.88 and c=0??(1c) 0.10?Vf<0.

Abstract: Disclosed is a laminate including a first metal sheet and an adhesive layer bonded to the first metal sheet, in which the following relationship applies: 1?(Emetal*tmetal)/(Eadh*tadh)?15 (1), where Emetal=tensile Young's modulus of the first metal sheet, tmetal=thickness of the first metal sheet, Eadh=tensile Young's modulus of the adhesive layer, and t=thickness of the adhesive layer. The adhesive layer may include reinforcing fibers. The laminate may be used for providing a fatigue resistant structure, such as an aerospace structure, and shows a high crack growth resistance, in particular near edges of the structure.

Abstract: Described is a laminate, including a stack of mutually bonded adhesive layers and metal sheets. The laminate includes abutting and/or overlapping metal sheet edges that extend along a length direction within a splicing region. A splice strap is bonded to the laminate at an outer surface of the laminate across said splicing region and has a smaller thickness than a thickness of a metal sheet, positioned adjacent to the splice strap in the stack. A method to manufacture the laminate is also disclosed, which involves deforming metal layers in the laminate before consolidating the laminate. The laminate has an improved strength and fatigue behavior over known laminates.

Abstract: A fiber-metal laminate of mutually bonded fiber-reinforced composite layers and metal sheets comprises a combination of a fiber-reinforced composite layer and an adjacent metal sheet, in which combination the properties satisfy the following relations: Elam*Ecomp/(Emetal*tmetal2) has a value between a lower bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf?c)) with b=0.36 and c=0.3??(1a) and zero when Vf?0.3,??(1b) and an upper bound given by a*(Vf?c)(b/(Vf?c)) with b=0.88 and c=0??(1c) 0.10?Vf<0.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber-metal laminate comprising mutually bonded fiber-reinforced composite layers and metal sheets, wherein the fiber and metal properties satisfy the following relationships simultaneously: (1) ?fibre tension>Ksf*?tu/(1.5*Et metal), (2) Efibre tension>Kstiff*Et metal, (3) ?fibre compression>ksf*?tu/(1.5*Klf*Et metal) wherein the strain concentration factor Ksf, stiffness factor Kstiff and the load factor Klf satisfy (4) 2.75?Ksf<5.7, (5) Kstiff?1.28, (6) 1.5?Klf?3.5 and ?tu=ultimate tensile strength of the metal, Et metal=tensile Young's modulus of the metal, ?fibre tension=elastic tensile strain of the fiber, Efibre tension=tensile elastic modulus of the fibre, ?fibre compression=elastic compression strain of the fiber. The fiber-metal laminate according to the invention shows an unprecedented combination of toughness and tensile strength.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sandwich panel, comprising two skin layers and, connected thereto, a core layer in between. The first skin layer extends beyond the core at an edge of the panel by a protruding part, thereby defining an open edge space of the panel. The panel is further provided with a support member for the protruding part, the support member having a first part, extending inside the open edge space, and having a second part extending outside the open edge space and up to the plane, defined by the outer surface of the first skin layer. The panel provides an improved delamination resistance. The invention also relates to a support member for use in a sandwich panel according to the invention, and to a vehicle, in particular an aircraft, provided with the sandwich panel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laminate of metal sheets and fiber-reinforced polymer layers connected thereto. The laminate comprises at least one thick metal sheet with a thickness of at least 1 mm that is connected to the rest of the laminate by means of at least one fiber-reinforced polymer layer, the fiber volume content of which is at most 45 volume-%. The invention also relates to a method for producing the laminate as well as skin sheets reinforced with the laminate for an aircraft or spacecraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laminate of metal sheets and fiber-reinforced polymer layers connected thereto. The laminate comprises at least one thick metal sheet with a thickness of at least 1 mm that is connected to the rest of the laminate by means of at least one fiber-reinforced polymer layer, the fiber volume content of which is at most 45 volume-%. The invention also relates to a method for producing the laminate as well as skin sheets reinforced with the laminate for an aircraft or spacecraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fiber-metallaminate comprising fiber-reinforced composite layers and thin metal sheets, wherein the total metal volume fraction of the laminate is between 0 vol. % and 47 vol. %. The fiber-metal laminate according to the invention shows an unprecedented combination of toughness and tensile strength. The laminate is advantageously used in constructing impact resistant objects, such as explosion resistant aircraft luggage containers and wing leading edges.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laminate of metal sheets and fiber-reinforced polymer layers connected thereto. The laminate comprises at least one thick metal sheet with a thickness of at least 1 mm that is connected to the rest of the laminate by means of at least one fiber-reinforced polymer layer, the fiber volume content of which is at most 45 volume-%. The invention also relates to a method for producing the laminate as well as skin sheets reinforced with the laminate for an aircraft or spacecraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a skin panel (11) of an aircraft (1), comprising a laminate of at least one first metal sheet (40) and preferably first fiber-reinforced polymer layers (41) connected thereto. The skin panel (11) is connected to stiffening elements (4) made of a laminate of second metal sheets (40) and second fiber-reinforced polymer layers (41) connected thereto, provided that the second fiber-reinforced polymer layer comprises fibers having a modulus of elasticity in tension of greater than 110 GPa. The invention also relates to an aircraft or spacecraft provided with such skin sheets.