Session A7
6157
Disclaimer — This paper partially fulfills a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at the University
of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering. This paper is a student, not a professional, paper. This paper is based on
publicly available information and may not be provide complete analyses of all relevant data. If this paper is used for any
purpose other than these authors’ partial fulfillment of a writing requirement for first year (freshman) engineering students at
the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, the user does so at his or her own risk.
THE EFFECTS OF PLASTICS AND COMPOSITE MATERIAL IN BOEING’S
787 AIRLINER
Steven Evanovich, sme47@pitt.edu, Bursic 2:00, Rahul Doraiswamy, rad119@pitt.edu, Bursic 2:00
Revised Proposal — As the world turns towards plastics and
composite moldings in the twenty-first century, Boeing
recently released the 787, an airliner nearly fifty percent
composed of such material [1]. This new jet represents a
significant leap from the standard aluminum based planes
that have dominated the twentieth and early twenty-first
centuries, such as the 747 and 777 airliners which are both
more than seventy percent composed of aluminum [2]. This
paper will analyze the various factors involved with a carbon
and plastics based 787, such as performance, durability, and
overall service life, compared to tradition aluminum
airplanes and determine whether or not such an airplane
would be a viable and affordable option of bringing us into
the next generation of aviation.
The implementation of plastics and composite materials in
the fuselage and wings reduce the aircraft’s weight compared
to the same design if it were constructed with aluminum [3].
This lighter frame greatly increases the efficiency of its
engines as well as reduces the effects of drag [4]. To illustrate
the impact of such a change, during the Paris Air Show in
2015, the 787 nearly completed what is known as an “Svertical” takeoff, a feat made possible by its composite frame
[1]. This paper will further elaborate on how the Boeing 787
performs against other airplanes with an aluminum structure.
One of the key aspects of the performance of any
passenger aircraft is, of course, safety. According to the Code
of Ethics of the National Society of Professional Engineers,
engineers must “Hold paramount the safety, health, and
welfare of the public” [5]. The Boeing 787 fulfills this oath
through the plane’s durability and survivability, which far
exceeds modern aluminum based jets. One of the key features
of such carbon based plastics is its fire resistance [2]. To
quote Boeing’s Rescue and Firefighting manual, “Composite
fuselage structures do not radiate (transfer) heat to the same
degrees as aluminum structure” [2]. This greatly increases
the survivability of the passengers in the event of a crash. This
information represents a vital shift for engineers as this
material proves itself to be more resistant than standard
aluminum.
Further benefits from a plastic frame lies in the longevity
of the airplane. Boeing states in regards to the 787 that
“While a typical bonded repair may require 24 or more hours
of airplane downtime, Boeing has taken advantage of the
University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering 1
2016/01/29
properties of composites to develop a new line of maintenance
repair capability that requires less than an hour to apply”
[3]. Our paper will further discuss how the 787, due to its
composite makeup, requires much less maintenance and
inspection than typical aircraft.
With the rise of three dimensional printing and
advancements in plastics, our paper will discuss Boeing’s
decision to design a plane with a frame made from composites
material and the results of the 787. Such a design could pave
the way for a revolution of plastics implementation in modern
aircraft, as well as other fields of transportation.
REFERENCES
[1] McGee, Oliver (2015, July 14). “Anatomy of a Boeing 787
Dreamliner
Vertical
Takeoff.”
(online
article).
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/anatomy-boeing-787dreamliner-vertical-takeoff-oliver
[2] Mathis, Robert (2013, June) “787 Aircraft Rescue &
Firefighting Composite Structure.” Boeing. (online article).
http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/commercial/airports/faqs/
787_composite_arff_data.pdf
[3] Hale, Justin (2008). “Boeing 787: From the Ground Up.”
Boeing. (online article).
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/articles/q
tr_4_06/article_04_2.html
[4] Nelson, Tim (2005). “787 Systems and Performance.”
Oaviao.
(online
article).
http://www.oaviao.com/oaviao_novo/newsletter/images/B78
7_Systems_and_Performance.pdf
[5] (2007). “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National
Society of Professional Engineers. (Online Article).
http://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
D.S. Cairns, Douglas S (2009). “Composite Materials for
Aircraft Structures”
http://www.montana.edu/dcairns/documents/composites/MS
UComposites2009.pdf
Douglas Cairns’ presentation highlights valuable
evidence of the effectiveness of composite materials for use
Steven Evanovich
Rahul Doraiswamy
in aircraft. It highlights aspects such as damage resistance,
and general structural integrity complete with diagrams and
graphs in his analysis of composite aircraft structures in
comparison to contemporary aluminum-based structures.
Cairns’ presentations also features a concise chart of a few of
the major advantages and disadvantages of composite aircraft
structures, which will have to be a point of focus in our
conference paper.
Though not being an official academic article, this
presentation is an overview of the 787 intended for Boeing’s
rescue and firefighting division. Boeing highlights the
strength of the composite material in comparative analogies
as well as the material makeup in the fuselage. As this was
intended by Boeing for its own firefighting staff, we believe
this is a credible and reliable source.
O. McGee (2015, July 14). “Anatomy of a Boeing 787
Dreamliner
Vertical
Takeoff.”
(online
blog).
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/anatomy-boeing-787dreamliner-vertical-takeoff-oliver
This source comes from the Linked-In page of an
esteemed professor and details the maneuver known as the “Svertical” takeoff that the Boeing 787 is able to perform). The
ability is made possible by the jet’s lightweight build, and its
various capabilities that have only just begun to be explored.
Though this is not a standard academic article, it highlights
the unique features of the 787
(2012). “Chapter 7: Advanced Composite Materials.”
Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook-Airframe,
Volume 1 . Federal Aviation Administration. (online article).
January
2016.
http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manual
s/aircraft/amt_airframe_handbook/media/amt_airframe_vol1
.pdf
This section of the Aviation Maintenance Technician
Handbook is an extremely expansive and thorough
explanation of the various materials involved in
manufacturing Composite Aircraft Structures. The possible
drawback of this source is that it is very much in the weeds,
and is not ideal for finding general information. For any
information regarding specific details on materials and
structures, this would be a good source.
T. Nelson (2005). “787 Systems and Performance.” Boeing.
(online
article).
http://www.oaviao.com/oaviao_novo/newsletter/images/B78
7_Systems_and_Performance.pdf
This presentation by Tim Nelson is an overview of the
Boeing 787 and a general comparison to other Boeing planes
such as the 777. It touches on the range of the 787 and
includes the material makeup of the other Boeing aircraft for
comparison. This presentation has extremely useful visual
charts and models that will be essential for our poster.
S. Georgiadis, A.J. Gunnion, R.S. Thomson, B.K. Cartwright
(2008, March 8). “Bird-Strike Simulation for Certification of
the Boeing 787 Composite Moveable Trailing Edge.”
Composite
Structures.
(online
article).
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S02638223
08000883
In this trade journal, these authors discuss the strength of
the Boeing 787 in regards to simulations of colliding with
heavy objects. They discuss the behavior to something like a
bird when it collides with a wing and use a series of equations
and models to show how the joints absorb the trauma. Though
they do not compare any other airplane, they go thoroughly in
depth with the 787’s tolerances.
G. Norris, M. Wagner (2009). Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Minneapolis, MN: Zenith Press. (print book). pp. 28-146
This book details everything about the Boeing 787. Their
topics range from cross-section width of the fuselage to
estimated service life and even where the plane is being
produced. Though this book contains a width breath of
information, we will only use sections pertaining to the
composite material in the fuselage.
J. Hale (2008). “Boeing 787: From the Ground Up.” Boeing.
(online
article).
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/articles/q
tr_4_06/article_04_2.html
This magazine article by Boeing, provides a detailed
overview of the 787 Aircraft. It includes various diagrams
that describe the material makeup of the plane, as well as
some other design changes made from contemporary
aluminum aircraft. This would be a useful article when talking
generally about various aspects of the plan, and may be
selectively suitable for more specific sections.
(2007). “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” National
Society of Professional Engineers. (Online Article).
http://www.nspe.org/resources/ethics/code-ethics
This list is the code of ethics presented by the National
Society of Professional Engineers. It goes into great detail of
the manner in which an engineer should conduct him/herself
in a professional way. We feel that the 787, with its noteable
safety features, shows that Boeing has a strict adherence to
such ethics and thinks of the public first.
R. Mathis (2013, June) “787 Aircraft Rescue & Firefighting
Composite
Structure.”
Boeing.
(online
article).
http://www.boeing.com/assets/pdf/commercial/airports/faqs/
787_composite_arff_data.pdf
2