Advanced lightweight composite shells: Manufacturing, mechanical characterizations and applications

The development of modern aeronautical and aerospace industries has greatly been accelerated by the upgradation of advanced lightweight architecture materials. As a recognized and promising kind, lightweight composite structures amalgamate the benefits of advanced fiber-reinforced composite materials and innovative design concepts for weight reduction and thus have attracted substantial attention from structural engineers and scholars over the past few decades. The primary objective of the present article is to provide an extensive review and analysis of the recent achievement of a pivotal component in modern aeronautical and aerospace architectures: lightweight composite shells. This review delves into various composite grid, grid-stiffened, and sandwich shells with diverse constructions, elucidating their structural design concepts and applicable conditions. The academic discourse focuses on the three relevant key component technologies for developing lightweight composite shells, including manufacturing techniques, mechanical characterization and optimum design methods. Additionally, this article presents a comprehensive review of their applications and potentials in aeronautical and aerospace systems. The existing research gap and contemplates on future directions are discussed. The encountered challenges and possible opportunities for lightweight composite shells are also illuminated.