This study employs a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) support specifically the Ranking Based on Distance and Range (RADAR-DR) and Relative Assessment of Decision Alternatives with Ranges (RADAR-ABER) techniques for the selection of materials for the development of an aircraft wing. The ABAQUS® commercial software code was used for the modeling and simulation analyses to determine the suitability of selected materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, titanium alloy and carbon fibre for the load-bearing and lift-generation application of an aircraft wing. A static structural analysis was implemented to predict and analyse the structural response of the wing to aerodynamic loads. The results obtained from the RADAR techniques indicate that carbon fibre is the most suitable material for the intended application. Furthermore, the results obtained from the computer aided modeling and simulation indicated that carbon fibre outperformed other materials in terms of the strain and displacement response to the load stress. The simulation results show that the concentration of the maximum stress concentrations was experienced at the leading edge. The von Mises stress observed peaked at approximately 25 MPa at the leading edge and reduced to 7.0 MPa at the trailing edge; both were found to be significantly lower than the tensile strength material (3.20 GPa), thereby indicating sufficient structural integrity. These findings provide critical insights for sustainable aircraft design and materials development and can assist aircraft and materials developers in their quest for the sustainability of aircraft operation.
Keywords: Aircraft wing, Aluminum alloy Carbon fibre, MCD, RADAR Stainless steel, Sustainability Reliability, Titanium alloy
