Podcast Ep. #2 – Prof. Paul Weaver on Shape, Stiffness and Smart Aerospace Structures

In this episode I talk to Prof. Paul Weaver, who holds a Bernal Chair in Composite Structures at the University of Limerick, Ireland and is also a Professor in Lightweight Structures in the Aerospace Engineering department of the University of Bristol, UK. Lightweighting plays a crucial role in the aerospace industry, and Paul has worked on some fascinating concepts for more efficient aircraft structures with many industrial partners. In this episode we cover some of his past accomplishments and his vision for the future. Central to his vision of future aircraft is artificial metamorphosis, which is a term that Paul coined to describe structures that re-configure by dis-assembly and re-assembly. In this manner, future aircraft could gain the ability to adapt to changing operating conditions on the fly by entirely reconfiguring their shape. In this episode we discuss artificial metamorphosis, structural efficiency, material science, and so much more. For more Aerospace goodness please visit: Website: www.aerospaceengineeringblog.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/aerospaceengineeringblog