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A method for fabricating a stringer-stiffened shell structure using fiber composite materials involves the following steps. A fiber reinforced skin member having a specified surface curvature is laid onto a correspondingly curved mold surface of a shell mold. Stringer core blanks are cut from a cure

A method for fabricating a stringer-stiffened shell structure using fiber composite materials involves the following steps. A fiber reinforced skin member having a specified surface curvature is laid onto a correspondingly curved mold surface of a shell mold. Stringer core blanks are cut from a cured plate of fiber composite material, whereby each blank has a narrow edge with a curvature matching the curvature of the skin member. These stiff pre-cut blanks are arranged extending along and vertically protruding from the skin member, with the narrow edges of the blanks lying in contact along the skin surface. An auxiliary frame is placed around the perimeter of the shell mold, and the ends of the stringer core blanks are received in slots in the frame to hold the blanks in proper positions. Then, stiffening profile members are laid lengthwise along and against the stringer core blanks and the adjoining areas of the skin member, whereby these profile members are made of uncured fiber composite material so that they are easily deformable along the skin member and the stringer core blanks. The assembled structure is pressurized and cured so as to integrally bond the components to each other and fully cure and harden all of the components. A stiffening stringer of the finished structure is formed by a respective stringer core blank sandwiched between two adjoining stiffening profile members.

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[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of fabricating a stringer-stiffened shell structure including a fiber reinforced composite material, said method comprising the following steps:a) providing a skin member comprising a first fiber reinforced composite material having opposite first and second sk

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of fabricating a stringer-stiffened shell structure including a fiber reinforced composite material, said method comprising the following steps:a) providing a skin member comprising a first fiber reinforced composite material having opposite first and second skin surfaces;b) laying said skin member onto a mold surface of a shell mold so that said first skin surface lies conformingly on said mold surface and said skin member has a skin contour configuration matching a mold surface contour of said mold surface;c) providing a pre-cured strip-shaped stringer core blank comprising a pre-cured second fiber reinforced composite material and having a narrow edge and two opposite broad side faces extending along a strip length;d) arranging said stringer core blank on said skin member which is lying on said mold surface, such that said narrow edge of said stringer core blank lies conformingly in contact on said second skin surface of said skin member and said broad side faces of said stringer core blank extend away from said skin member, and wherein said narrow edge of said stringer core blank has an edge contour configuration matching said skin contour configuration where said narrow edge is in contact with said second skin surface;e) providing a flexibly deformable elongate stiffening profile member which is more flexible than said stringer core blank and which comprises a flexible third fiber reinforced composite material and includes a lengthwise extending base web and a lengthwise extending protruding web that runs along and protrudes from said base web;f) laying said stiffening profile member with said protruding web lying conformingly in contact along one of said broad side faces of said stringer core blank and with said base web lying conformingly in contact along said second skin surface adjacent to said stringer core blank, wherein said stringer core blank acts as a molding form against which said protruding web of said stiffening profile member is conformed during this step f); andg) carrying out a hardening process wherein said stiffening profile member hardens and becomes rigidly and intimately bonded with said stringer core blank and with said skin member, and wherein said stringer core blank becomes a structural strengthening core of a stringer made up of at least said stringer core blank and said stiffening profile member upon completion of this step g).