In the Cloud Suck thread Tony pointed out an excellent "Into the Bowels of Darkness" article. In it and other similar discussion on the topic gliders get into trouble because of some pretty low Vne speeds. What is the limiting factor in Vne here?
often, flutter.
To some extent, the stiffer you make the wings the worse the flutter.What if you make the wings and tail from a "solid" honeycomb extrusion?
To some extent, the stiffer you make the wings the worse the flutter.
But the stronger you make it the more resistant to fatal failure mode. You can kink it and it can still hold together to get you to the ground. Remember, the only need for the change required is survival of the event, not necessarily avoidance.
I don't know much about gliders, but from an engineering viewpoint, i would guess it would strongly depend on the natural frequency of the wing structure, and the frequency of the aerodynamic forces.
If the frequency of the aerodynamic excitations match the natural frequency of the wing, you'll get resonance.
So, making it stronger, as in "stiffer" may or may not help.
May or may not help whether you get a failure I concur, my issue is one of the failure mode of the different materials. Fiberglass and Carbon Fiber whether in epoxy or an ester resin all fail explosively when their limit has been met. Metal has a different failure mode, and a honeycomb extrusion will maintain more structural strength for the weight after a failure of the type flutter will cause than we get with current construction methods.
In what way are you proposing using the honeycomb? As a core in a composite sandwich, the honeycomb doesn't really provide any tensile strength, only compressive. There would still need to be a skin over the core to carry the tensile loads.
i think that 45 degree speed limiting dive brakes are probably a better solution to staying out of a cloud suck situation in a sailplane. and that ability is pretty standard on a semi-modern glider.
I know a couple of HP aircraft with 90degree flaps that will not accelerate with the nose practically straight down.
cases of cloud suck problems in sailplanes are few and far between. Kempton's article is the only published account i've seen. I've talked to a few guys who have come close but always managed to stay out of the cloud. Not all gliders have such powerful airbrakes and even if they do there is still the very real potential of overstressing the airframe in a high speed descent. The video was a hang glider. Hang and Para gliders are a whole nuther ball game with limited speed and descent options.