Buckling characteristics of smart skin structures

A 5.78 GHz micro strip antenna has been developed for use in Wireless LAN (WLAN) systems. It has a composite sandwich construction, and uses composite laminates and Nomex honeycomb. This is the surface-antenna-structure (SAS) concept, applied to load-bearing structural surfaces. The design originated from a composite sandwich structure and a multi-layer micro strip antenna. Design, fabrication and validation of structural/electrical performances all took place. To verify structural rigidity, the bucking behavior was calculated from a theoretical model, and was compared with experimental results. Electrical measurements of the fabricated antenna array were in good agreement with design specifications. The SAS concept can be extended into a guide for manufacturers of structural body panels as well as antenna designers, promising innovative future communication technology.