Experimental and numerical simulation of super-pressure balloon apex section: Mechanical behavior in realistic flight conditions Original Research Article

In order to predict the flight parameters and to improve the life time of long duration super-pressure balloon, a research program on modelization and experimental simulation of the balloon envelope mechanical behavior is carried out. The balloon is a 10 m diameter type made with multilayer polymeric films and tapes. A facility was developed to measure, via a stereo-correlation system, the 3D displacement and the in plane solicitation strain of a 1.5 m diameter balloon envelope part in realistic flight conditions, i.e. pressure, temperature and loading at the sample boundaries. A time dependant non-linear Maxwell model of the polymeric material behavior was identified from uniaxial creep and relaxation tests and implemented in a Finite Elements code, simulating the sample tested in the facility. The Poisson ratio of the transparent and supple balloon film has been measured with an image correlation system. Experimental results are obtained both at room and in cold conditions (−60 °C) for various values of differential pressure. Vertical displacement and in plane 2D strain of apex part deduced from the numerical modeling are compared to experimental results.