CirKle - Recycled materials for aircraft cabin components

New testing method for the system validation of recyclable cabin monuments

The “CirKle” project addresses the global goal of “environmentally sustainable aviation” and makes a valuable contribution to the reusability of cabin components in accordance with the German Circular Economy Act (KrWG). The cabin structures currently in use worldwide consist of phenolic resin-impregnated honeycomb panels that cannot be recycled. The global goal of “CirKle” is to manufacture a new generation of semi-finished products for cabin structures and to directly market recycling-compatible, structurally identical cabin structures—particularly for the retrofit market.

flugzeugkabine aus recyclingwerkstoff
Test environment featuring the cabin mockup on the Multi-Axial Vibration Table (MAST) as a real-world system on a mockup table.
recyclinkwerkstoffe in Flugzeugkabinen, digitaler zwilling
Digital Twin.

Combining structural dynamics testing and system simulation

We are engaged in test development for recyclable cabin structures with the goal of developing a new testing method to validate that cabin structures made from recyclable materials are equivalent to existing facilities.

The methodology is based on dynamic system validation using a multi-axial vibration table (MAST), followed by a comparison of the reference structure made of conventional material and the recycled structure using calibrated digital twins to represent the structural-dynamic behavior.

The added value of this methodology lies in the fact that cabin monuments are tested under expected, realistic dynamic loads, and that the effects of material substitution on structural-dynamic behavior can be quickly evaluated. This makes aviation more sustainable.

Funding

 

LuFo Cirkle: 20K2201C

From research to your application

Do you want to reliably integrate recyclable structural and lightweight design solutions into your applications?

We support you in validating sustainable system concepts - from development through industrial implementation.

  • Validation of recyclable structures
  • Evaluation of material and structural behavior
  • Design-for-recycling and disassembly concepts
  • Test methods for sustainable components
  • Integration into industrial development processes

👉 Contact us.

Research & Development

Scientific and technological Priorities

  • Development of Design Routines
  • Virtual DoE and hybrid testing strategies
  • Digital Twins
  • Data- and model-driven optimization

 

Department System Dynamics

 

Department System Reliability

 

Projects

Our project experience

Precise Vibration Analysis and Innovative NVH Solutions

 

R&D-Services and Research Topics

Dynamics & Vibration Engineering

Dynamics and Vibration Engineering