Multi scale reliability analysis for high-pressure hydrogen composite vessels in aviation, Part 2: Systemic failure propagation and safety factor optimisation
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
Abstract
Building on the methodology for multi-scale load prediction and component failure analysis from part 1, this paper completes the quantitative reliability framework by presenting the systemic failure propagation analysis. Vessel burst effects are modelled using Bayesian networks. Overpressure waves are calculated using trinitrotoluene (TNT) equivalent methods, while heat fluxes from hydrogen fireballs are predicted using established correlations. The multi-energy model accounts for gas cloud deflagration characteristics during delayed ignition. Results demonstrate that almost all burst events lead to aircraft crash, as overpressure and heat flux exceed structural thresholds. Crash probability is calculated as a function of laminate thickness elevation factor, showing that burst-related causes dominate at low values while thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) activation creates an irreducible lower bound at high values. Sensitivity analysis reveals significant influence of material scatter on required vessel mass, while random fibre angle deviations show no significant influence for thin-ply vessels. Integration with part 1 enables design optimisation based on crash probability rather than burst probability alone.
Details
| Original language | English |
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| Article number | 155321 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| Journal | International Journal of Hydrogen Energy |
| Volume | 239 |
| Early online date | 8 May 2026 |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Jun 2026 |
| Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
| ORCID | /0000-0003-1370-064X/work/215162422 |
|---|---|
| ORCID | /0000-0001-7887-0805/work/215165466 |
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Keywords
- Aviation, Bayesian networks, Crash probability, Heat flux, Hydrogen safety, Overpressure, Risk analysis, Safety factor optimisation, Systemic failure propagation