Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ASTM Standards”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

ASTM and VAMAS activities in titanium matrix composites test methods development

Titanium matrix composites (TMC's) are being considered for a number of aerospace applications ranging from high performance engine components to airframe structures in areas that require high stiffness to weight ratios at temperatures up to 400 C. TMC's exhibit unique mechanical behavior due to fiber-matrix interface failures, matrix cracks bridged by fibers, thermo-viscoplastic behavior of the matrix at elevated temperatures, and the development of significant thermal residual stresses in the composite due to fabrication. Standard testing methodology must be developed to reflect the uniqueness of this type of material systems. The purpose of this paper is to review the current activities in ASTM and Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) that are directed toward the development of standard test methodology for titanium matrix composites.

Johnson, W. S.↗

3D Printed Materials Characterization for Rapid Prototyping and Plant Growth

Through KSC IRTD funding in 2022, this project brought a list of 18, 3D printed filaments into formal characterization testing to provide a reference for their behaviors under relevant applications. The project format set up a series of tests to expose 3D printed specimens. A total of 1,989 individual 3D printed test specimens were sent across KSC to be scrutinized by three laboratories to fulfill a multidisciplinary assessment of each material TRL. Testing started with 18 materials. Initially, seed germination assays in the PPA, sample materials were enclosed in petri dishes with lettuce seeds on damp germination paper. No significant impacts on lettuce seed germination were observed in this testing. Next, sample coupons were printed and sent for materials testing to the KSC Analysis/Mechanical and Environmental Testing Laboratory, where they were subjected to 14- and 30-day soak periods in solutions used to provide nutrients to plants or to sanitize hardware before and after use. Following a long soak typical of a 30-day plant growout in Hoagland’s solution, 14 materials gained more than 10% of their own mass. This indicated an increased potential for leaching or providing conditions that are not food safe. Materials that exceeded 15% absorption by mass were eliminated from further testing. Based off this result, the team continued with a core list of nine filaments to fulfill Tensile, Flexural, Biofilm formation, and plant growth testing. Those materials were PLA (Raise3D), ABS (Raise3D), PETG (PolyethyleneTerephthalate Glycol) (Raise3D), ASA (Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate) (Raise3D), PC (Polycarbonate) (Raise3D), TPU (Thermoplastic polyurethane)-95 (Raise3D), PLA Copper (Gizmodorks), PP (Polypropylene) (Braskem), and HIPS (High Impact Polystyrene) (Gizmodorks). Testing also quantified the spectral impact of using different color 3D printed surfaces in a growth chamber. The material used for spectral testing was PLA. Printing employed a standard surface texture representative of all materials. It was shown through Tensile Testing (ASTM D638-22) that the breaking force of a 3D printed part greatly varied depending on layer orientation. This is common through all materials, and demonstrates that the strength of a 3D printed component can be maximized by layering the material normal to the primary force on the part. Four-point flexural testing (ASTM D790) provided quantities of interest, Flexural modulus, Flexural strength, Flexural stress, and strain at break within a 5% strain limit from each of nine materials. Biofilm formation testing was conducted in the Molecular and Microbiological Laboratory. Testing completed on specimens from each material showed equal formation on the surface. Additional plant growth testing was conducted in the PPA beyond the initial germination testing. The final assessment documents that three materials (PLA, ABS, and PC) have reached TRL 6 through extensive testing, and ultimate end-to-end applied use in experimental or testing conditions (flight and ground). TRL 5 materials (ASA, TPU-95, PLA Copper, PP, PETG, and HIPS) have all been successfully applied in Research and Development for crop growth applications and are ready to be applied in formal testing. TRL 4 materials Nylon910, PLA Carbon Fiber, PPA CF, PPA Glass Fiber (GF), NinjaFlex, and P-filament 721 are materials that were able to be printed and tested, but have yet to show data meeting applied requirements. TRL 3 NylonX, Flex TPE-185, and Nylon were unable to be reliably printed to fulfill testing. These results provide researchers with reference for materials to use during plant growth experimentation, and also set a standard for future characterization work applying 3D printing and materials to testing, research, and experimentation.

Gioia Massa↗

Rapid adhesive bonding concepts

Adhesive bonding in the aerospace industry typically utilizes autoclaves or presses which have considerable thermal mass. As a consequence, the rates of heatup and cooldown of the bonded parts are limited and the total time and cost of the bonding process is often relatively high. Many of the adhesives themselves do not inherently require long processing times. Bonding could be performed rapidly if the heat was concentrated in the bond lines or at least in the adherends. Rapid adhesive bonding concepts were developed to utilize induction heating techniques to provide heat directly to the bond line and/or adherends without heating the entire structure, supports, and fixtures of a bonding assembly. Bonding times for specimens are cut by a factor of 10 to 100 compared to standard press bonding. The development of rapid adhesive bonding for lap shear specimens (per ASTM D1003 and D3163), for aerospace panel bonding, and for field repair needs of metallic and advanced fiber reinforced polymeric matrix composite structures are reviewed.

Stein, B. A.↗

Rapid adhesive bonding and field repair of aerospace materials

Adhesive bonding in the aerospace industry typically utilizes autoclaves or presses which have considerable thermal mass. As a consequence, the rates of heatup and cooldown of the bonded parts are limited and the total time and cost of the bonding process are often relatively high. Many of the adhesives themselves do not inherently require long processing times. Bonding could be performed rapidly if the heat was concentrated in the bond lines or at least in the adherends. Rapid Adhesive Bonding concepts are developed to utilize induction heating techniques to provide heat directly to the bond line and/or adherends without heating the entire structure, supports, and fixtures of a bonding assembly. Bonding times for specimens can be cut by a factor of 10 to 100 compared to standard press or autoclave bonding. The development of Rapid Adhesive Bonding for lap shear specimens (per ASTM D1002 and D3163), for aerospace panel or component bonding, and for field repair needs of metallic and advanced fiber reinforced polymeric-matrix composite structures is reviewed. Equipment and procedures are described for bonding and repairing thin sheets, simple geometries, and honeycomb core panels.

Stein, B. A.↗

Promoted Ignition and Burning Tests of Stainless Steel in Flowing and Nonflowing Oxygen

The Industry-Sponsored Metals Combustion Test Program 96-1 was coordinated through Wendell Hull & Associates, Inc. on behalf of several contributing companies, and all design and testing was performed at the NASA White Sands Test Facility. Phase I of this test program studied the threshold pressure for self-sustained burning of various types and sizes of stain less steel rods in nonflowing oxygen, as observed in Standard Test Method for Determining the Combustion Behavior of Metallic Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres (ASTM G 124-95). Phase II studied the ignition and propagation of burning of 316L stainless steel rods and pipe in flowing gaseous oxygen. The test sample configurations were chosen to replicate previous promoted ignition and burning tests as well as to represent geometries and cross-sectional thicknesses common in industrial piping applications. The gas pressw'es and velocities for the test matrix were selected to generally compare with CGA G-4.4 guidelines for the use of stain less steel in oxygen service. This paper summarizes the results from the Phase I nonflowing oxygen tests and presents in detail the results of the Phase II flowing oxygen tests. The maximum sample burn-length is shown as a function of test pressure in Phase 1 and also as a function of gas velocity in Phase IT. These results indicate that flowing oxygen, under the given test conditions, significantly affects maximum sample burn length as compared to nonflowing oxygen. Supplementary flowing oxygen test data on stainless steel rods from a follow-up test program are consistent with these results and are presented herein.

Forsyth, Elliot T.↗

Characterization of IM7/8552 Thin-Ply and Hybrid Thin-Ply Composites

Composite materials have increasingly been used for aerospace applications due to improved performance and reduced weight compared to their metallic counterparts. Inclusion of thin-ply material, plies with cured thickness half or less than standard composites, have potential to improve performance and reduce structural weight. Limited characterization of thin-ply IM7/8552 material in 30 and 70 grams per square meter fiber areal weights has been carried out using a series of selected American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) tests. Tests included unnotched tension, unnotched compression, v-notched rail shear, open-hole tension, and open-hole compression. Unidirectional, cross-ply, quasiisotropic and hybrid hard laminates were included in the study, and were compared to standard-ply laminates. Properties compared include fiber volume, laminate moduli, and failure strength, with failure modes also being examined. The thin-ply specimens exhibited similar or superior performance to standard ply laminates in many of the cases compared. Improvements in strength for laminates containing thin-ply material were seen for unidirectional laminates under unnotched tension, quasi-isotropic laminates under unnotched tension and compression, and hard laminates under open hole tension. Additional investigation is required to determine appropriate ply stacking rules for hybrids of thin and standard plies to avoid undesirable failure modes such as axial splitting. However, the observed performance improvements demonstrated by the conducted ASTM tests of hybrid thin-ply hard laminates could have benefits for improved structural weight in aircraft.

Lovejoy, Andrew E.↗

Mode I Toughness Measurements of Core/Facesheet Bonds in Honeycomb Sandwich Structures

Composite sandwich structures will be used in many future applications in aerospace, marine and offshore industries due to the fact that the strength and stiffness to mass ratios surpass any other structural type. Sandwich structure also offers advantages over traditional stiffened panels such as ease of manufacturing and repair. During the last three decades, sandwich structure has been used extensively for secondary structure in aircraft (fuselage floors, rudders and radome structure). Sandwich structure is also used as primary structure in rotorcraft, the most common example being the trailing edge of rotor blades. As with other types of composite construction, sandwich structure exhibits several types of failure mode such as facesheet wrinkling, core crushing and sandwich buckling. Facesheet/core debonding has also been observed in the marine and aerospace industry. During this failure mode, peel stresses applied to an existing facesheet/core debond or an interface low in toughness, results in the facesheet being peeled from the core material, possibly leading to a significant loss in structural integrity of the sandwich panel. In an incident during a test on a liquid hydrogen fuel tank of the X-33 prototype vehicle, the outer graphite/epoxy facesheet and honeycomb core became debonded from the inner facesheet along significant areas, leading to failure of the tank. As a consequence of the accident; significant efforts were made to characterize the toughness of the facesheet/core bond. Currently, the only standardized method available for assessing the quality of the facesheet/core interface is the climbing drum peel test (ASTM D1781). During this test a sandwich beam is removed from a panel and the lip of one of the facesheets is attached to a drum, as shown in Fig. 1. The drum is then rotated along the sandwich beam, causing the facesheet to peel from the core. This method has two major drawbacks. First, it is not possible to obtain quantitative fracture data from the test and so the results can only be used in a qualitative manner. Second, only sandwich structure with thin facesheets can be tested (to facilitate wrapping of the facesheet around the climbing drum). In recognition of the need for a more quantitative facesheet/core fracture test, several workers have devised experimental techniques for characterizing the toughness of the facesheet/core interface. In all of these cases, the tests are designed to yield a mode I-dominated fracture toughness of the facesheet/core interface in a manner similar to that used to determine mode I fracture toughness of composite laminates. In the current work, a modified double cantilever beam is used to measure the mode I-dominated fracture toughness of the interface in a sandwich consisting of glass/phenolic honeycomb core reinforced with graphite epoxy facesheets. Two specimen configurations were tested as shown in Fig 2. The first configuration consisted of reinforcing the facesheets with aluminum blocks (Fig. 2a). In the second configuration unreinforced specimens were tested (Fig. 2b). Climbing drum peel tests were also conducted to compare the fracture behavior observed between this test and the modified double cantilever beam. This paper outlines the test procedures and data reduction strategies used to compute fracture toughness values from the tests. The effect of specimen reinforcement on fracture toughness of the facesheet/core interface is discussed.

Nettles, Alan T.↗

Voluntary Consensus Organization Standards for Nondestructive Evaluation of Thin-Walled Metallic Liners and Composite Overwraps in Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

NASA fracture control requirements outlined in NASA-STD-5009 and NASA-STD-5014 are predicated on the availability and use of sensitive nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods that can detect and monitor defects, thereby providing data that can be used to predict failure or reduce the risk of failure in fracture critical components. However, in the case of composite materials and components, including composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), the effect of defects is poorly understood, the NDE methods used to evaluate locate and size defects are typically at lower technical readiness level than analogous NDE methods used for metals, and demonstration studies to verify the probability of detection (POD) are generally lacking or unavailable. These factors together make failure prediction of fracture critical composite materials and components based on size, quantity, or orientation of defects nearly impossible. Also, when inspecting metal liners in as-manufactured COPVs, sensitivity is lost and only the inner surface of the liner is accessible. Also, NDE of COPVs as applied during manufacturing varies significantly from manufacturer to manufacturer and has not yet been standardized. Although requirements exist to perform NDE immediately after manufacturing to establish initial integrity of the parts, procedural detail for NDE of composites is still nonexistent or under development. For example, in practice, only a visual inspection of COPVs is performed during manufacturing and service, leaving in question whether defects of concern, for example, bridging, overwrap winding anomalies, impact damage below visible threshold, out-of-family strain growth, and liner buckling have been adequately detected and monitored. To address these shortcomings, in 2005 the NASA Nondestructive Evaluation Working Group (NNWG) began funding work to develop and adopt standards for nondestructive evaluation of aerospace composites in collaboration with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Committee E07 on Nondestructive Testing. Similarly, in 2006 the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) recommended that nondestructive evaluation methods that can predict composite failure in COPVs should be developed and verified, and integrated into the damage control plan for these vessels

Waller, Jess↗

Energy and Momentum in Mechanical Impact Testing

The ASTM G86 method is used to determine the ignition sensitivity of materials to mechanical impact in oxygen. It has long been known that different systems built to the standard produce different results. Given the current push towards direct comparison of numerical results from different systems rather than just material rankings, it is desirable to normalize the systems to some performance-based metric. Normalization is complicated by the fact that the energy and momentum of a particular impact scale differently with plummet mass and drop height, and therefore adjusting the mass and height to account for system differences would result in a different impact. The standard uses dent blocks to assess impacts. However, it was unknown if the differences in momentum could be identified during dent block impacts. To determine this, dent blocks were impacted with constant energy and different momentums, using instrumented and non-instrumented plummets. The dent blocks showed statistically significant differences in the penetration function when subjected to impacts with the same energy but different momentum. Further, the instrumented plummet showed drastic differences in the power delivery with different momentums. System configuration was also shown to have an effect on the response of the penetration function to different momentums.

Energy↗

Standard Methods for Unnotched Tension Testing of Textile Composites

An investigation was conducted by researchers at the Boeing Defense & Space Group to investigate the effects of specimen sizing on several braided textile materials. Test results from this and other test programs were compared in an effort to determine what effect, if any, specimen size has on elastic property measurements of unnotched tension test. In general, the unnotched tensile strength of 2-D braids was found to be insensitive to specimen width, length, or thickness effects. The results from this study suggest that standard testing methods used for tape materials may be sufficient for tension testing of textile composite materials. Specifically, the straight sided specimen geometry described in ASTM 3034, and used by Boeing, should provide acceptable results. Further experiments performed at Boeing and by other investigators on other textile architectures suggest similar results. Although specimen size studies were not conducted, failing stresses varied on the same order as those obtained with the 2-D materials. This suggests that the accuracy of the results were consistent with those obtained with the 2-D materials.

Portanova, M. A.↗

Stress analysis of the compact specimen including the effects of pin loading

An improved method of boundary collocation was applied to the two-dimensional stress analysis of the compact specimen. The effects of the pin-loaded holes on stress-intensity factors and crack-opening displacements were investigated for various crack-length-to-specimen-width ratios, hole locations, and internal loadings. The stress-intensity factors for the 'standard' compact specimen under plane-stress or plane-strain conditions were found to be within 1 percent of the stress-intensity factors reported in the ASTM Test for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials (E 399-72) over a range of crack-length-to-specimen-width ratios of 0.4 to 0.7. However, for crack-length-to-specimen-width ratios less than 0.4, the pin-load holes (which were not previously accounted for) had a significant effect on stress intensity and crack-opening displacements.

Newman, J. C., Jr.↗

Energy and Momentum in Mechanical Impact Testing

The ASTM G86 method is used to determine the ignition sensitivity of materials to mechanical impact in oxygen. It has long been known that different systems built to the standard produce different results. Given the current push towards direct comparison of numerical results from different systems rather than just material rankings, it is desirable to normalize the systems to some performance-based metric. Normalization is complicated by the fact that the energy and momentum of a particular impact scale differently with plummet mass and drop height, and therefore adjusting the mass and height to account for system differences would result in a different impact. The standard uses dent blocks to assess impacts. However, it was unknown if the differences in momentum could be identified during dent block impacts. To determine this, dent blocks were impacted with constant energy and different momentums, using instrumented and non-instrumented plummets. The dent blocks showed statistically significant differences in the penetration function when subjected to impacts with the same energy but different momentum. Further, the instrumented plummet showed drastic differences in the power delivery with different momentums. System configuration was also shown to have an effect on the response of the penetration function to different momentums.

Energy↗

Evaluation of ultraviolet spectrophotometry for simultaneous analysis of alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, alkylanthracenes/phenanthrenes and total aromatics in mid-distillate fuels

A rapid ultraviolet spectrophotometric method for the simultaneous determination of aromatics in middistillate fuels was developed and evaluated. In this method, alkylbenzenes, alkylnaphthalenes, alkylanthracenes/phenanthracenes and total aromatics were determined from ultraviolet spectra of the fuels. The accuracy and precision were determined using simulated standard fuels with known compositions. The total aromatics fraction accuracy was 5% for a Jet A type fuel and 0.6% for a broadened properties jet turbine type fuel. Precision, expressed as relative standard deviations, ranged from 2.9% for the alkylanthracenes/phenanthrenes to 15.3% for the alkylbenzenes. The accuracy, however, was less for actual fuel samples when compared to the results obtained by a mass spectrometric method. In addition, the ASTM D-1840 method for naphthalenes by ultraviolet spectroscopy was evaluated.

Kim, W. S.↗

Wide-range displacement expressions for standard fracture mechanics specimens

Wide-range algebraic expressions for the displacement of cracked fracture mechanics specimens are developed. For each specimen two equations are given: one for the displacement as a function of crack length, the other for crack length as a function of displacement. All the specimens that appear in ASTM Test for Plane-Strain Fracture Toughness of Metallic Materials (E 399) are represented in addition to the crack mouth displacement for a pure bending specimen. For the compact tension sample and the disk-shaped compact tension sample, the displacement at the crack mouth and at the load line are both considered. Only the crack mouth displacements for the arc-shaped tension samples are presented. The agreement between the displacements or crack lengths predicted by the various equations and the corresponding numerical data from which they were developed are nominally about 3 percent or better. These expressions should be useful in all types of fracture testing including fracture toughness, K-resistance, and fatigue crack growth.

Kapp, J. A.↗

Heat Flux Sensor Testing

This viewgraph presentation provides information on the following objectives: Developing secondary calibration capabilities for MSFC's (Marshall Space Flight Center) Hot Gas Facility (HGF), a Mach 4 Aerothermal Wind Tunnel; Evaluating ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) slug/ thinskin calorimeters against current HGF heat flux sensors; Providing verification of baselined AEDC (Arnold Engineering Development Center) / Medtherm gage calibrations; Addressing future calibration issues involving NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) certified radiant gages.

Clark, D. W.↗

Mechanical properties of silicate glasses exposed to a low-Earth orbit

The effects of a 5.8 year exposure to low earth orbit environment upon the mechanical properties of commercial optical fused silica, low iron soda-lime-silica, Pyrex 7740, Vycor 7913, BK-7, and the glass ceramic Zerodur were examined. Mechanical testing employed the ASTM-F-394 piston on 3-ball method in a liquid nitrogen environment. Samples were exposed on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) in two locations. Impacts were observed on all specimens except Vycor. Weibull analysis as well as a standard statistical evaluation were conducted. The Weibull analysis revealed no differences between control samples and the two exposed samples. We thus concluded that radiation components of the Earth orbital environment did not degrade the mechanical strength of the samples examined within the limits of experimental error. The upper bound of strength degradation for meteorite impacted samples based upon statistical analysis and observation was 50 percent.

Wiedlocher, David E.↗

Thermal Stability Analysis of Gevo Jet Fuel Using Ellipsometry

Thermal stability is an important characteristic of alternative fuels that must be evaluated before they can be used in aviation engines. This characteristic is of great importance to the effectiveness of the fuel as a coolant and to the engine's combustion performance. The thermal stability of Gevo fuel, an alcohol to jet fuel made from plant feedstock was studied. This analysis was used to make comments on the effectiveness of the current thermal stability test standard. This work was performed using a spectroscopic ellipsometer to measure the thickness of deposits left on aluminum substrates. It was observed that Gevo deposit thickness increased slowly up to 375 C and much more rapidly after that point. Similar behavior was observed in JP-8 fuel. Comparisons were also made between color standard ratings and ellipsometric thickness measurements, and it was found that in some cases, darker colors did not indicate thicker deposits. Reference tubes were used to validate the optical models used in this work, and different optical constants were found to best model the results than what are published in the ASTM D3241 test method for thermal stability.

Ellipsometry↗

Methods of measurement for semiconductor materials, process control, and devices

This progress report describes NBS activities directed toward the development of methods of measurement for semiconductor materials, process control, and devices. Significant accomplishments during this reporting period include design of a plan to provide standard silicon wafers for four-probe resistivity measurements for the industry, publication of a summary report on the photoconductive decay method for measuring carrier lifetime, publication of a comprehensive review of the field of wire bond fabrication and testing, and successful completion of organizational activity leading to the establishment of a new group on quality and hardness assurance in ASTM Committee F-1 on Electronics. Work is continuing on measurement of resistivity of semiconductor crystals; characterization of generation-recombination-trapping centers in silicon; study of gold-doped silicon; development of the infrared response technique; evaluation of wire bonds and die attachment; and measurement of thermal properties of semiconductor devices, delay time and related carrier transport properties in junction devices, and noise properties of microwave diodes.

Bullis, W. M.↗