Focus on research into sandwich structures - Chair of Aircraft Technology at the ICSS-14 in Genoa (Italy)

The 14th International Conference on Sandwich Structures (ICSS-14) took place at the University of Genoa (Italy) from 16 to 18 June 2025. The renowned conference brings together leading scientists and industry representatives from all over the world every two years to present and discuss the latest developments and research results in the field of sandwich structures. The focus is on applications in aerospace, automotive and rail vehicle construction, wind energy and construction.

© Chris Fischer

The Chair of Aircraft Technology at TU Dresden was represented at this year's ICSS-14 with four contributions. Our research assistants Chris Fischer, Falk Hähnel and Philipp Engel presented current research results on the use and optimisation of sandwich structures for aeronautical applications. The work presented included innovative concepts for weight reduction, structural efficiency and load-bearing capacity of such components - all key topics when it comes to future, sustainable aircraft concepts.

The Chair of Aircraft Technology presented the research work with the following presentations:

• Chris Fischer, Falk Hähnel, Klaus Wolf, Johannes Markmiller: Investigating static compression preloads on the impact behaviour of honeycomb sandwich structures, Oral presentation
• Philipp Engel, Chris Fischer, Falk Hähnel, Johannes Markmiller: Methods for the design and manufacturing of tailored honeycomb cores (THC), Oral presentation
• Falk Hähnel (TU Dresden), Ralf Schäuble (Fraunhofer IMWS): Sandwich Disbond - Fracture Mechanics Model and Micromechanics of Damage, General lecture
• Falk Hähnel, Sarah Gebhardt, Chris Fischer, Johannes Markmiller: Fatigue properties of NOMEX^® honeycomb cell wall material, Oral presentation

With its interdisciplinary focus and international participants, ICSS-14 offered an ideal platform for scientific exchange, technical discussions and the establishment of new collaborations. The contributions from our department met with lively interest and led to exciting technical discussions with colleagues from research and industry. In particular, the exchange on current trends such as multifunctional sandwich structures, adaptive materials and new manufacturing processes emphasised the relevance of our work in an international context.

Another highlight was the venue itself: The conference took place in the historic centre of Genoa, in the rooms of the School of Architecture of the University of Genoa - an inspiring environment for creative scientific dialogue.

Participation in ICSS-14 strengthens the international visibility of the Chair of Aircraft Technology at TU Dresden in the field of structural technologies for aircraft applications. It emphasises our commitment to pioneering research in the field of aviation and provides valuable impetus for the further development of our projects. The contacts made there form an excellent basis for future research co-operation with international partners.

We are delighted with the successful contributions to ICSS-14 and look forward to continuing our work on innovative solutions for efficient and sustainable aviation technology.