Introduction of TTT NRA Teams and NASA Bonded Composites TTT Team: Summary of NASA TTT Team Activities
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Characterizing Fractures Across the Astronaut Corps: Preliminary Findings from Population-Level Analysis
Despite evidence of bone loss during spaceflight and operational countermeasures to mitigate this loss, the subsequent risk of fracture among astronauts is not known. The physiologic process of diminished bone density and bone recovery during or following spaceflight is multifactorial. Such factors as age, sex, fracture history, and others may combine to increase fracture risk among astronauts. As part of the 2016 Bone Research and Clinical Advisory Panel (RCAP), the authors analyzed data collected on 338 NASA astronauts to describe the demographics, bone-relevant characteristics, and fracture history of the astronaut population. The majority of the population are male (n=286, 84.6%), have flown at least one mission (n=306, 90.5%), and were between the ages of 30 and 49 at first mission (n=296, 96.7% of those with at least one mission). Of the 338 astronauts, 241 (71.3%) experienced a fracture over the course of their lifetime. One hundred and five (43.5%) of these 241 astronauts only experienced a fracture prior to being selected into the Astronaut Corps, whereas 53 (22.0%) only experienced a fracture after selection as an astronaut. An additional 80 astronauts (33.2%) had both pre- and post-selection fractures. The remaining 3 astronauts had a fracture of unknown date, which could not be categorized as pre- or post-selection. Among the 133 astronauts with at least one post-selection fracture, males comprised 90.2% (n=120) compared to 84.5% of the entire Corps, and females accounted for 9.8% (n=13) compared to 15.4% of the Corps. Ninety-seven of the 133 astronauts with post-selection fractures (72.9%) had one fracture event, 22 (16.5%) had two fractures, and 14 (10.5%) had three or more fractures. Some astronauts with multiple fractures suffered these in a single event, such as an automobile accident. The 133 astronauts with a post-selection fracture accounted for a total of 188 fracture events. One hundred and four (78.2%) of astronauts with post-selection fractures experienced those fractures following their first mission (mean 12.7 +/- 11.1 years following first mission; range 14.0 days - 50.6 years). Additional analyses are ongoing and include examination of fracture history, skeletal site, mechanism, and type of fracture, age at time of fracture, time from spaceflight to fracture, as well as multivariable analysis comparing fracture events to non-events. The results of such analyses may reveal trends in risk factors for fracture among the astronaut corps that have yet to be systematically described through a corps-wide approach.
Rossi, Meredith M.↗
Composite materials: Fatigue and fracture. Vol. 3
The present volume discusses topics in the fields of matrix cracking and delamination, interlaminar fracture toughness, delamination analysis, strength and impact characteristics, and fatigue and fracture behavior. Attention is given to cooling rate effects in carbon-reinforced PEEK, the effect of porosity on flange-web corner strength, mode II delamination in toughened composites, the combined effect of matrix cracking and free edge delamination, and a 3D stress analysis of plain weave composites. Also discussed are the compression behavior of composites, damage-based notched-strength modeling, fatigue failure processes in aligned carbon-epoxy laminates, and the thermomechanical fatigue of a quasi-isotropic metal-matrix composite.
O'Brien, T. K.↗
Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology 1986
On October 21 and 22, 1986, the Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST) Project of the NASA Lewis Research Center sponsored a workshop to discuss current research pertinent to turbine engine durability problems. Presentations were made concerning the hot-section environment and the behavior of combustion liners, turbine blades, and turbine vanes. The presentations were divided Into six sessions: Instrumentation, Combustion, Turbine Heat Transfer, Structural Analysis, Fatigue and Fracture, and Surface Protection. The principal objective of each session was to disseminate research results to date. Topics discussed included modeling of thermal and fluid-flow phenomena, structural analysis, fatigue and fracture, surface protective coatings, constitutive behavior of materials, stress-strain response, and life-prediction methods. Researchers from industry, academia, and government presented results of their work sponsored by the HOST Project. This publication contains extended abstracts and visual material presented during the workshop.
Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology (HOST)↗
Turbine Engine Hot Section Technology, 1984
Presentations were made concerning the hot section environment and behavior of combustion liners, turbine blades, and waves. The presentations were divided into six sessions: instrumentation, combustion, turbine heat transfer, structural analysis, fatigue and fracture, and surface properties. The principal objective of each session was to disseminate research results to date, along with future plans. Topics discussed included modeling of thermal and fluid flow phenomena, structural analysis, fatigue and fracture, surface protective coatings, constitutive behavior, stress-strain response, and life prediction methods.
Source record↗
Development of advanced structural analysis methodologies for predicting widespread fatigue damage in aircraft structures
NASA is developing a 'tool box' that includes a number of advanced structural analysis computer codes which, taken together, represent the comprehensive fracture mechanics capability required to predict the onset of widespread fatigue damage. These structural analysis tools have complementary and specialized capabilities ranging from a finite-element-based stress-analysis code for two- and three-dimensional built-up structures with cracks to a fatigue and fracture analysis code that uses stress-intensity factors and material-property data found in 'look-up' tables or from equations. NASA is conducting critical experiments necessary to verify the predictive capabilities of the codes, and these tests represent a first step in the technology-validation and industry-acceptance processes. NASA has established cooperative programs with aircraft manufacturers to facilitate the comprehensive transfer of this technology by making these advanced structural analysis codes available to industry.
Harris, Charles E.↗
Investigating Some Technical Issues on Cohesive Zone Modeling of Fracture
This study investigates some technical issues related to the use of cohesive zone models (CZMs) in modeling fracture processes. These issues include: why cohesive laws of different shapes can produce similar fracture predictions; under what conditions CZM predictions have a high degree of agreement with linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analysis results; when the shape of cohesive laws becomes important in the fracture predictions; and why the opening profile along the cohesive zone length needs to be accurately predicted. Two cohesive models were used in this study to address these technical issues. They are the linear softening cohesive model and the Dugdale perfectly plastic cohesive model. Each cohesive model constitutes five cohesive laws of different maximum tractions. All cohesive laws have the same cohesive work rate (CWR) which is defined by the area under the traction-separation curve. The effects of the maximum traction on the cohesive zone length and the critical remote applied stress are investigated for both models. For a CZM to predict a fracture load similar to that obtained by an LEFM analysis, the cohesive zone length needs to be much smaller than the crack length, which reflects the small scale yielding condition requirement for LEFM analysis to be valid. For large-scale cohesive zone cases, the predicted critical remote applied stresses depend on the shape of cohesive models used and can significantly deviate from LEFM results. Furthermore, this study also reveals the importance of accurately predicting the cohesive zone profile in determining the critical remote applied load.
Wang, John T.↗
Finite element analysis of the end notched flexure specimen for measuring Mode II fracture toughness
The paper presents a finite element analysis of the end-notched flexure (ENF) test specimen for Mode II interlaminar fracture testing of composite materials. Virtual crack closure and compliance techniques employed to calculate strain energy release rates from linear elastic two-dimensional analysis indicate that the ENF specimen is a pure Mode II fracture test within the constraints of small deflection theory. Furthermore, the ENF fracture specimen is shown to be relatively insensitive to process-induced cracks, offset from the laminate midplane. Frictional effects are investigated by including the contact problem in the finite element model. A parametric study investigating the influence of delamination length, span, thickness, and material properties assessed the accuracy of beam theory expressions for compliance and strain energy release rate, GII. Finite element results indicate that data reduction schemes based upon beam theory underestimate GII by approximately 20-40 percent for typical unidirectional graphite fiber composite test specimen geometries. Consequently, an improved data reduction scheme is proposed.
Gillespie, J. W., Jr.↗
Hydrogen induced fracture characteristics of single crystal nickel-based superalloys
A stereoscopic method for use with x ray energy dispersive spectroscopy of rough surfaces was adapted and applied to the fracture surfaces single crystals of PWA 1480E to permit rapid orientation determinations of small cleavage planes. The method uses a mathematical treatment of stereo pair photomicrographs to measure the angle between the electron beam and the surface normal. One reference crystal orientation corresponding to the electron beam direction (crystal growth direction) is required to perform this trace analysis. The microstructure of PWA 1480E was characterized before fracture analysis was performed. The fracture behavior of single crystals of the PWA 1480E nickel-based superalloy was studied. The hydrogen-induced fracture behavior of single crystals of the PWA 1480E nickel-based superalloy was also studied. In order to understand the temperature dependence of hydrogen-induced embrittlement, notched single crystals with three different crystal growth orientations near zone axes (100), (110), and (111) were tensile tested at 871 C (1600 F) in both helium and hydrogen atmospheres at 34 MPa. Results and conclusions are given.
Chen, Po-Shou↗
Fracture and crack growth in orthotropic laminates. Part 1: Analysis of a hybrid, unidirectional laminate with damage
The fracture behavior of unifirectional hybrid (buffer strip) composite laminates is studied. Three particular solutions are discussed: (1) broken fibers in a unidirectional half plane; (2) adjoined half planes of different fiber and matrix properties and (3) the solution of two half planes bounding a third distinct region of finite width. This finite width region represents a buffer strip and the potential of this strip to arrest a crack that originates in one of the half planes is investigated. The analysis is based on a materials modeling approach using the classical shear lag assumption to described the stress transfer between fibers. Explicit fiber and matrix properties of the three regions are retained and changes in the laminate behavior as a function of the relative material properties, buffer strip width and initial crack length are discussed.
Goree, J. G.↗
Correlation of physical properties of ceramic materials with resistance to fracture by thermal shock
An analysis is made to determine which properties of materials affect their resistance to fracture by thermal stresses.From this analysis, a parameter is evaluated that is correlated with the resistance of ceramic materials to fracture by thermal shock as experimentally determined. This parameter may be used to predict qualitatively the resistance of a material to fracture by thermal shock. Resistance to fracture by thermal shock is shown to be dependent upon the following material properties: thermal conductivity, tensile strength, thermal expansion, and ductility modulus. For qualitative prediction of resistance of materials to fracture by thermal shock, the parameter may be expressed as the product of thermal conductivity and tensile strength divided by the product of linear coefficient of thermal expansion and ductility modulus of the specimen.
Lidman, W G↗
Reusable solid rocket motor case - Optimum probabilistic fracture control
A methodology for the reliability analysis of a reusable solid rocket motor case is discussed in this paper. The analysis is based on probabilistic fracture mechanics and probability distribution for initial flaw sizes. The developed reliability analysis can be used to select the structural design variables of the solid rocket motor case on the basis of minimum expected cost and specified reliability bounds during the projected design life of the case. Effects on failure prevention plans such as nondestructive inspection and the material erosion between missions can also be considered in the developed procedure for selection of design variables. The reliability-based procedure that has been discussed in this paper can easily be modified to consider other similar structures of reusable space vehicle systems with different fracture control plans.
Hanagud, S.↗
Effect of production processes on the fracture strength of silicon solar cells
Fracture of Czochralski silicon wafers during processing is an important factor in solar cell yield and cost. A fracture-mechanics test and analysis program was developed to evaluate fracture strength changes in the in-process wafer-to-cell processing at different stages on a manufacturer's production line. The strength data were described by Weibull statistical analysis and can be interpreted with the surface-flaw distribution of each of the process steps.
Chen, C. P.↗
Relating Cohesive Zone Model to Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics
The conditions required for a cohesive zone model (CZM) to predict a failure load of a cracked structure similar to that obtained by a linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) analysis are investigated in this paper. This study clarifies why many different phenomenological cohesive laws can produce similar fracture predictions. Analytical results for five cohesive zone models are obtained, using five different cohesive laws that have the same cohesive work rate (CWR-area under the traction-separation curve) but different maximum tractions. The effect of the maximum traction on the predicted cohesive zone length and the remote applied load at fracture is presented. Similar to the small scale yielding condition for an LEFM analysis to be valid. the cohesive zone length also needs to be much smaller than the crack length. This is a necessary condition for a CZM to obtain a fracture prediction equivalent to an LEFM result.
Wang, John T.↗
Surface energy and surface tension at holes and cracks
The concept of surface tension and surface energy of solids was used by Griffith to obtain a criterion for the extension of cracks in brittle materials. Griffith, however, neglected the stresses due to the normal traction at the crack implied by the surface tension. A complete solution to the problem of an elliptic hole in an infinite plate with surface tension loading at the hole is given. Complex potentials are given in closed form in terms of elliptic integrals of the first, second, and third kinds. Stress distributions are studied. For a flat crack, the nature of the singularity at the tip is shown to be radically different from that usually encountered in fracture mechanics. The implications of our analysis for theories of fracture in brittle materials are discussed.
Rajapakse, Y. D. S.↗
Heterogeneous fracture mechanics for multi-defect analysis
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Kenneth Reifsnider↗
Method for improved prediction of bone fracture risk using bone mineral density in structural analysis
A non-invasive in-vivo method of analyzing a bone for fracture risk includes obtaining data from the bone such as by computed tomography or projection imaging which data represents a measure of bone material characteristics such as bone mineral density. The distribution of the bone material characteristics is used to generate a finite element method (FEM) mesh from which load capability of the bone can be determined. In determining load capability, the bone is mathematically compressed, and stress, strain force, force/area versus bone material characteristics are determined.
Cann, Christopher E.↗
A Relationship Between Constraint and the Critical Crack Tip Opening Angle
Of the various approaches used to model and predict fracture, the Crack Tip Opening Angle (CTOA) fracture criterion has been successfully used for a wide range of two-dimensional thin-sheet and thin plate applications. As thicker structure is considered, modeling the full three-dimensional fracture process will become essential. This paper investigates relationships between the local CTOA evaluated along a three-dimensional crack front and the corresponding local constraint. Previously reported tunneling crack front shapes were measured during fracture by pausing each test and fatigue cycling the specimens to mark the crack surface. Finite element analyses were run to model the tunneling shape during fracture, with the analysis loading conditions duplicating those tests. The results show an inverse relationship between the critical fracture value and constraint which is valid both before maximum load and after maximum load.
Johnston, William M.↗