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At least 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Stress analysis of the space telescope focal plane structure joint

Two major efforts were begun concerning the Space Telescope focal plane structure joint. The 3-D solid finite element modeling of the bipod flexure plate was carried out. Conceptual models were developed for the load transfer through the three major bolts to the flexure plate. The flexure plate drawings were reconstructed using DADAM for the purpose of developing a file from which the coordinates of any point on the flexure plate could be determined and also to locate the attachment points of the various components which connect with the flexure plate. For modeling convenience the CADAM drawing of the flexure plate has been divided into several regions which will be subdivided into finite elements using MSGMESH, which is a finite element mesh generator available with MSC/NASTRAN. In addition to the CADAM work on the flexure plate, an effort was also begun to develop computer aided drawings of the peripheral beam which will be used to assist in modeling the connection between it and the flexure plate.

Foster, W. A., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Estimates of lithospheric thickness on Venus

Magellan altimetry data have revealed many examples of topographic flexure on Venus. Modeling of flexural features is of interest as it provides information on spatial (and for the earth, temporal) variations in lithospheric thickness. Lithospheric thickness may be determined solely from modeling topographic flexure or by combining gravity and topography data. On Venus even the highest resolution gravity is insufficient for modeling all but the very longest wavelength flexural features, so we rely heavily on altimetry data for information about lithospheric thickness. Sandwell and Schubert modeled flexure around four coronae and found lithospheric thicknesses h, in the range 35 - 70 km. Studies of several more flexural features suggests that these are typical of Aphrodite Terra and other chasmata regions on Venus. However lithospheric thicknesses associated with other regions are in the range 15-30 km. McKenzie et al. noted that part of Aphrodite Terra appeared similar in planform and morphology to the subduction zones of the East Indies on Earth. Other flexure studies using Magellan data have looked at smaller coronae (h = 5-30 km) and rifts (h = 8-20 km). It can be seen that the range of thicknesses suggested by studies to date is extremely large, and it is difficult to establish whether their mean is in agreement with that predicted by heat flow scaling arguments (h approximately 18 km). Here we present results from a global study of flexure on Venus, with particular emphasis on the variation in our results with different tectonic settings.

Johnson, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Slow Crack Growth Behavior and Life/Reliability Analysis of 96 wt % Alumina at Ambient Temperature With Various Specimen/Loading Configurations

Extensive constant stress-rate testing for 96 wt % alumina was conducted in room-temperature distilled water using four different specimen/loading configurations: rectangular beam test specimens under four-point uniaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, square plate test specimens in ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, and dog-boned tensile test specimens in pure tension. The slow crack growth (SCG) parameter n was almost independent of specimen/loading configurations, in either four-point uniaxial flexure, ring-on-ring biaxial flexure, ball-on-ring biaxial flexure, or pure tension, ranging from n = 35 to 47 with an average value of n = 41.1 +/- 4.5. The prediction of fatigue strength/reliability based on the four-point uniaxial flexure data by using the CARES/Life design code as well as a simple PIA model was in good agreement with both the ring-on-ring biaxial and the ball-on-ring biaxial flexure data. A poor prediction using the PIA model was observed for the dog-boned tensile test specimens, presumably due to different flaw population involved in the tensile test specimens.

Choi, Sung R.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Validation of Long Bone Mechanical Properties from Densitometry

The objective of this study was to assess whether cross-sectional areal properties, calculated from densitometry, correlate to the true flexural properties. Right and left male embalmed tibiae were used in the study. Prior to scanning, the proximal end of each tibia was potted in a fixture with registration pins, flushed thoroughly with water under pressure to remove trapped air, and then placed in a constant thickness water bath attached to a precision indexer. Two sets of three scans of the entire tibia were taken with an Hologic QDR 1000/W densitometer at rotations of 0, 45, and 90 degrees about the tibia long axis. An aluminum step phantom and a bone step phantom, machined from bovine cortical bone, were also in the bath and scanned separately. Pixel attenuation data from the two sets of scans were averaged to reduce noise. Pixel data from the high energy beam were then converted to equivalent thicknesses using calibration equations. Cross-sectional areal properties (centroid, principal area moments and principal angle) along the length were computed from the three registered scans using methods developed in our laboratory. Flexural rigidities. Four strain gages were bonded around the circumference of each of 5 cross-sections encompassing the entire diaphysis. A known transverse load was then applied to the distal end and the bone was rotated 360 degrees in eight increments of 45 degrees each. Strains from the eight orientations were analyzed along with the known applied bending moments at each section to compute section centroids, curvatures, principal flexural rigidities and principal angle. Reference axes between the two methods were maintained within +/- 0.5 degrees using an electronic inclinometer. Principal angles (flexural - areal) differed by -2.0 +/- 4.0 degrees, and 1.0 +/- 2.5 degrees for the right and left tibia, respectively. Section principal flexural rigidities were highly correlated to principal areal moments (right: r(sup 2)= 0.997; left: r(sup 2)= 0.978) indicating a nearly constant effective flexural modulus. Right and left tibia exhibited a very high degree of symmetry when comparing either flexural or areal properties. To our knowledge this is the first study to validate the use of densitometry (DXA) to predict three dimensional structural properties of long bones. Our initial results support the conclusion that bone mineral and its distribution are the primary determinants of flexural modulus and rigidity.

Whalen, R.↗
NASA NTRS2015

ME8373 Spring 2015 ICME Proposal ICME Analysis of Fatigue Crack Growth Through a Weld in SA-516 Grade 70 Plate

This paper describes work accomplished to predict the service life of a flexure joint design which is a component of a diffuser duct in the A3 Test Stand, an altitude simulation rocket engine test facility at NASA's Stennis Space Center. The duct has two pressure shells separated by cooling water passages and connected by stiffening ribs and flexure joints. Rocket exhaust flows within the duct and heats the inner pressure shell while the outer pressure shell remains at ambient temperature. The flexure joints allow for differential thermal expansion of the inner and outer pressure shells and are subject to in-service loading by this thermal expansion along with water pressure in the cooling water passage, atmospheric pressure outside the duct, near vacuum conditions within the duct, and vibrational loads from operation of the facility and rocket engine. Figure 1 shows a schematic axisymmetric cross section of the diffuser pressure shells and flexure joints with a zoomed in view of the flexure joint. The flexure joints are expected to eventually fail by fatigue cracking leading to leaks from the cooling water passages to the outside. The zoomed in view in Figure 1 indicates where cracking is expected to occur, namely through a weld bead between two plates of SA-516 Grade 70 steel. This weld bead acts as the fulcrum of the flexure joint and it is clear from inspection of the geometry and loading represented in the zoomed in portion of Figure 1 that inherent in the design there is a severe notch formed between the flexure plate, weld bead, and stiffening ring that will be the site of crack initiation and location from which the crack grows to the outer surface of the weld bead.

Woods, Jody L.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Wind tunnel balance

A flow-through balance is provided which includes a non-metric portion and a metric portion which form a fluid-conducting passage in fluid communication with an internal bore in the sting. The non-metric and metric portions of the balance are integrally connected together by a plurality of flexure beams such that the non-metric portion, the metric portion and the flexure beams form a one-piece construction which eliminates mechanical hysteresis between the non-metric and the metric portion. The system includes structures for preventing the effects of temperature, pressure and pressurized fluid from producing asymmetric loads on the flexure beams. A temperature sensor and a pressure sensor are located within the fluid-conducting passage of the balance. The system includes a longitudinal bellows member connected at two ends to one of the non-metric portion and the metric portion and at an intermediate portion thereof to the other of (1) and (2). A plurality of strain gages are mounted on the flexure beams to measure strain forces on the flexure beams. The flexure beams are disposed so as to enable symmetric forces on the flexure beams to cancel out so that only asymmetric forces are measured as deviations by the strain gages.

Horne, Warren L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Variations in lithospheric thickness on Venus

Recent analyses of Magellan data have indicated many regions exhibiting topograhic flexure. On Venus, flexure is associated predominantly with coronae and the chasmata with Aphrodite Terra. Modeling of these flexural signatures allows the elastic and mechanical thickness of the lithosphere to be estimated. In areas where the lithosphere is flexed beyond its elastic limit the saturation moment provides information on the strength of the lithosphere. Modeling of 12 flexural features on Venus has indicated lithospheric thicknesses comparable with terrestrial values. This has important implications for the venusian heat budget. Flexure of a thin elastic plate due simultaneously to a line load on a continuous plate and a bending moment applied to the end of a broken plate is considered. The mean radius and regional topographic gradient are also included in the model. Features with a large radius of curvature were selected so that a two-dimensional approximation could be used. Comparisons with an axisymmetric model were made for some features to check the validity of the two-dimensional assumption. The best-fit elastic thickness was found for each profile crossing a given flexural feature. In addition, the surface stress and bending moment at the first zero crossing of each profile were also calculated. Flexural amplitudes and elastic thicknesses obtained for 12 features vary significantly. Three examples of the model fitting procedures are discussed.

Johnson, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Sensitivity of lag-damping correlations to structural and aerodynamic approximations of isolated experimental rotors in forward flight

The predictions of regressive lag-mode damping levels are correlated with the database of an isolated, soft-inplane, three-blade rotor operated untrimmed. The database was generated at the Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate at Ames. The correlation covers a broad range of data, from near-zero thrust conditions in hover to high-thrust and highly stalled conditions in forward flight with advance ratio as high as 0.55 and shaft angle as high as 20 degrees. In the experimental rotor, the airfoil or blade portion has essentially uniform mass and stiffness distributions, but the root flexure has highly nonuniform mass and stiffness distributions. Accordingly, the structural approximations refer to four models of root-flexure-blade assembly. They range from a rigid flap-lag model to three elastic flap-lag-torsion models, which differ in modeling the root flexure. The three models of root-flexure are: three root springs in which the bending-torsion couplings are fully accounted for; a finite-length beam element with some average mass and stiffness distributions such that the fundamental frequencies match those of the experimental model; and accurate modal representation in which the actual mass and stiffness distributions of the experimental root-flexure-blade assembly are used in calculating the nonrotating mode shapes. The four models of root-flexure-blade assembly are referred to as the rigid flap-lag model, spring model, modified model and modal model. For each of these four models of the root-flexure-blade assembly, the predictions are based on the following five aerodynamic theories: ear theory, which accounts for large angle-of-attack and reverse-flow effects on lift, and has constant drag and pitching moment; quasisteady stall theory, which includes quasisteady stall lift, drag and pitching moment characteristics of the airfoil section, dynamics stall theory, which uses the ONERA dynamic stall models of lift, drag and pitching moment; dynamic wake theory, which is based on a finite-state three-dimensional wake model and includes all wake effects including both shed and trailing vorticity; and dynamics and wake theory, which combines both dynamic stall theory and dynamic wake theory and is a relatively complete aerodynamic representation.

Gaonkar, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Lithospheric bending at subduction zones based on depth soundings and satellite gravity

A global study of trench flexure was performed by simultaneously modeling 117 bathymetric profiles (original depth soundings) and satellite-derived gravity profiles. A thin, elastic plate flexure model was fit to each bathymetry/gravity profile by minimization of the L(sub 1) norm. The six model parameters were regional depth, regional gravity, trench axis location, flexural wavelength, flexural amplitude, and lithospheric density. A regional tilt parameter was not required after correcting for age-related trend using a new high-resolution age map. Estimates of the density parameter confirm that most outer rises are uncompensated. We find that flexural wavelength is not an accurate estimate of plate thickness because of the high curvatures observed at a majority of trenches. As in previous studies, we find that the gravity data favor a longer-wavelength flexure than the bathymetry data. A joint topography-gravity modeling scheme and fit criteria are used to limit acceptable parameter values to models for which topography and gravity yield consistent results. Even after the elastic thicknesses are converted to mechanical thicknesses using the yield strength envelope model, residual scatter obscures the systematic increase of mechanical thickness with age; perhaps this reflects the combination of uncertainties inherent in estimating flexural wavelength, such as extreme inelastic bending and accumulated thermoelastic stress. The bending moment needed to support the trench and outer rise topography increases by a factor of 10 as lithospheric age increases from 20 to 150 Ma; this reflects the increase in saturation bending moment that the lithosphere can maintain. Using a stiff, dry-olivine rheology, we find that the lithosphere of the GDH1 thermal model (Stein and Stein, 1992) is too hot and thin to maintain the observed bending moments. Moreover, the regional depth seaward of the oldest trenches (approximately 150 Ma) exceeds the GDH1 model depths by about 400 m.

Levitt, Daniel A.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Acoustic Emission Signals in Thin Plates Produced by Impact Damage

Acoustic emission (AE) signals created by impact sources in thin aluminum and graphite/epoxy composite plates were analyzed. Two different impact velocity regimes were studied. Low-velocity (less than 0.21 km/s) impacts were created with an airgun firing spherical steel projectiles (4.5 mm diameter). High-velocity (1.8 to 7 km/s) impacts were generated with a two-stage light-gas gun firing small cylindrical nylon projectiles (1.5 mm diameter). Both the impact velocity and impact angle were varied. The impacts did not penetrate the aluminum plates at either low or high velocities. For high-velocity impacts in composites, there were both impacts that fully penetrated the plate as well as impacts that did not. All impacts generated very large amplitude AE signals (1-5 V at the sensor), which propagated as plate (extensional and/or flexural) modes. In the low-velocity impact studies, the signal was dominated by a large flexural mode with only a small extensional mode component detected. As the impact velocity was increased within the low velocity regime, the overall amplitudes of both the extensional and flexural modes increased. In addition, a relative increase in the amplitude of high-frequency components of the flexural mode was also observed. Signals caused by high-velocity impacts that did not penetrate the plate contained both a large extensional and flexural mode component of comparable amplitudes. The signals also contained components of much higher frequency and were easily differentiated from those caused by low-velocity impacts. An interesting phenomenon was observed in that the large flexural mode component, seen in every other case, was absent from the signal when the impact particle fully penetrated through the composite plates.

Prosser, William H.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Planar Rotary Piezoelectric Motor Using Ultrasonic Horns

A motor involves a simple design that can be embedded into a plate structure by incorporating ultrasonic horn actuators into the plate. The piezoelectric material that is integrated into the horns is pre-stressed with flexures. Piezoelectric actuators are attractive for their ability to generate precision high strokes, torques, and forces while operating under relatively harsh conditions (temperatures at single-digit K to as high as 1,273 K). Electromagnetic motors (EM) typically have high rotational speed and low torque. In order to produce a useful torque, these motors are geared down to reduce the speed and increase the torque. This gearing adds mass and reduces the efficiency of the EM. Piezoelectric motors can be designed with high torques and lower speeds directly without the need for gears. Designs were developed for producing rotary motion based on the Barth concept of an ultrasonic horn driving a rotor. This idea was extended to a linear motor design by having the horns drive a slider. The unique feature of these motors is that they can be designed in a monolithic planar structure. The design is a unidirectional motor, which is driven by eight horn actuators, that rotates in the clockwise direction. There are two sets of flexures. The flexures around the piezoelectric material are pre-stress flexures and they pre-load the piezoelectric disks to maintain their being operated under compression when electric field is applied. The other set of flexures is a mounting flexure that attaches to the horn at the nodal point and can be designed to generate a normal force between the horn tip and the rotor so that to first order it operates independently and compensates for the wear between the horn and the rotor.

Sherrit, Stewart↗
DOE OSTI2020

Surface modification of bamboo fiber with sodium hydroxide and graphene oxide in epoxy composites

Bamboo fibers (BFs) have high mechanical properties and are candidate reinforcement for epoxy matrix composites. However, to improve performance, good fiber-matrix interaction is required. In this work, unidirectional long BF reinforced epoxy composites at fiber volume content of 22%, 40%, and 50% were made by compression molding. The 40 v% untreated BF reinforced composites exhibited 107% and 439% increase for flexural strength and modulus, respectively, compared to neat epoxy. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment was used to modify the surface of the BFs, and then the NaOH modified BFs were coated with graphene oxide (GO). The 40 v% NaOH modified BF composites showed an improvement from 259.9 to 327.5 MPa for flexural strength and from 16.7 to 21.5 GPa for flexural modulus, compared to 40 v% untreated BF composites. Slight improvement in properties up to 334.6 MPa for flexural strength and up to 23.8 GPa for flexural modulus was achieved for composites made of 40 v% NaOH/GO modified BF. Surface modification of BF after the NaOH and NaOH/GO treatment was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and by scanning electron microscopy, which showed differences on the fiber surface morphology and on the composite fracture surface. This BF surface modification approach with GO has potential to impart other properties beyond mechanical to produce multifunctional composite and lead to the use of sustainable plant fibers as alternatives to synthetic fibers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Material property characterization of 3D printed polypropylene wood plastic composites

Abstract Wood flour (WF) at 10 wt.% and 20 wt.% loadings was used as a reinforcing filler to enhance the applicability of polypropylene (PP) for 3D printing. After performing printability tests of PP wood plastic composites (WPCs), the mechanical properties of both injection‐molded and 3D‐printed PP WPC specimens were explored. Test specimens were prepared from 3D printed hexagons for analyzing the mechanical properties. Adding WF to neat PP increased the storage modulus and the glass transition temperature while decreasing the degree of crystallinity and the coefficient of thermal expansion, while enhancing the printability of neat PP. The tensile strength, tensile modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of elasticity of injection‐molded neat PP improved by up to 21%, 59%, 30%, and 56%, respectively, with 20 wt.% WF. However, the impact strength of injection‐molded neat PP decreased by 85%, with 20 wt.% WF. After 3D printing, the tensile strength and tensile modulus of elasticity of printed neat PP increased by up to 84% and 60%, respectively, with 20 wt.% WF. The flexural strength and flexural modulus of elasticity of neat printed PP remained unchanged compared to those of PP filled with 20 wt.% WF, while the impact strength decreased by 87%. Highlights WF was used as a reinforcement in polypropylene designed for 3D printing A pilot‐scale, pellet‐fed 3D printer was used to print hollow hexagons, and then test specimens were fabricated from these hexagons for mechanical properties The tensile and flexural properties of 3D printed neat polypropylene improved, while the impact strength decreased after adding 20 wt.% WF to the neat PP.

Hwang, Sungjun↗
NASA NTRS1986

Mechanical properties characterization of composite sandwich materials intended for space antenna applications

The composite materials proposed for use in the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) Program contains a new, high modulus graphite fiber as the reinforcement. A study was conducted to measure certain mechanical properties of the new fiber-reinforced material as well as of a composite-faced aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure. Properties were measured at -157, 22, and 121 C. Complete characterization of this material was not intended. Longitudinal tensile, picture-frame shear, short-beam shear, and flexural tests were performed on specimens of the composite face-sheet materials. Unidirectional, cross-plied, and quasi-isotropic fiber composite ply layup designs were fabricated and tested. These designs had been studied by using NASA's Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN) computer program. Flexural tests were conducted on (+/- 60/0 deg) sub s composite-faced sandwich structure material. Resistance strain gages were used to measure strains in the tensile, picture-frame, and sandwich flexural tests. The sandwich flexural strength was limited by the core strength at -157 and 22 C. The adhesive bond strength was the limiting factor at 121 C. Adhesive mechanical properties are reflected in sandwich structure flexural properties when the span-to-depth ratio is great enough to allow a significant shear effect on the load-deflection behavior of the sandwich beam. Most measured properties agreed satisfactorily with the properties predicted by ICAN.

Bowles, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Mechanical properties characterization of composite sandwich materials intended for space antenna applications

The composite materials proposed for use in the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) program contains a new, high modulus graphite fiber as the reinforcement. A study was conducted to measure certain mechanical properties of the new fiber-reinforced material as well as of a composite-faced aluminum honeycomb sandwich structure. Properties were measured at -157, 22, and 121 C. Complete characterization of this material was not intended. Longitudinal tensile, picture-frame shear, short-beam shear, and flexural tests were performed on specimens of the composite face-sheet materials. Unidirectional, cross-plied, and quasi-isotropic fiber composite ply layup designs were fabricated and tested. These designs had been studied by using NASA's Integrated Composite Analyzer (ICAN) computer program. Flexural tests were conducted on (+/- 60/0 deg) sub s composite-faced sandwich structure material. Resistance strain gages were used to measure strains in the tensile, picture-frame, and sandwich flexural tests. The sandwich flexural strength was limited by the core strength at 157 and 22 c. The adhesive bond strength was the limiting factor at 121 C. Adhesive mechanical properties are reflected in sandwich structure flexural properties when the span-to-depth ratio is great enough to allow a significant shear effect on the load-deflection behavior of the sandwich beam. Most measured properties agreed satisfactorily with the properties predicted by ICAN.

Bowles, Kenneth J.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Correlation between strength properties in standard test specimens and molded phenolic parts

This report describes an investigation of the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of 10 selected types of phenolic molding materials. The materials were studied to see in what ways and to what extent their properties satisfy some assumptions on which the theory of strength of materials is based: namely, (a) isotropy, (b) linear stress-strain relationship for small strains, and (c) homogeneity. The effect of changing the dimensions of tensile and flexural specimens and the span-depth ratio in flexural tests were studied. The strengths of molded boxes and flexural specimens cut from the boxes were compared with results of tests on standard test specimens molded from the respective materials. The nonuniformity of a material, which is indicated by the coefficient of variation, affects the results of tests made with specimens of different sizes and tests with different methods of loading. The strength values were found to depend on the relationship between size and shape of the molded specimen and size and shape of the fillers. The most significant variations observed within a diversified group of materials were found to depend on the orientation of fibrous fillers. Of secondary importance was the dependence of the variability of test results on the pieces of filler incorporated into the molding powder as well as on the size of the piece. Static breaking strength tests on boxes molded from six representative phenolic materials correlated well with falling-ball impact tests on specimens cut from molded flat sheets. Good correlation was obtained with Izod impact tests on standard test specimens prepared from the molding materials. The static breaking strengths of the boxes do not correlate with the results of tensile or flexural tests on standard specimens.

MATERIALS, MONSANTO RESINOX↗
NASA NTRS1993

Patterns of deformation and volcanic flows associated with lithospheric loading by large volcanoes on Venus

Magellan radar imaging and topography data are now available for a number of volcanoes on Venus greater than 100 km in radius. These data can be examined to reveal evidence of the flexural response of the lithosphere to the volcanic load. On Venus, erosion and sediment deposition are negligible, so tectonic evidence of deformation around large volcanoes should be evident except where buried by very young flows. Radar images reveal that most tectonic features and flow units on the flanks of these volcanoes have predominantly radial orientations. However, both Tepev Mons in Bell Regio and Sapas Mons in Atla Regio exhibit circumferential graben on their flanks. In addition, images reveal several flow units with an annular character around the north and west flanks of Tepev Mons. This pattern most likely results from ponding of flows in an annular flexural moat. Maat Mons in Atla Regio and Sif Mons in Eistla Regio are examples of volcanoes that lack circumferential graben and annular flows; discernible flow units and fractures on these constructs appear to be predominantly radial. Altimetry data can also provide evidence of flexural response. Tepev Mons is partially encircled by depressions that may be sections of a flexural moat that has not been completely filled. The locations of these depressions generally coincide with the annular flows described above. There is weaker evidence for such depressions around Maat Mons as well. The lack of circumferential tectonic features around most volcanoes on Venus might be explained by gradual moat filling and coverage by radial flows. The depressions around Tepev (and possible Maat) may indicate that this process is currently continuing. We use analytic models of plate flexure in an axisymmetric geometry to constrain the elastic plate thickness supporting Tepev Mons. If we consider the outer radius of the ponded flows to be the edge of a moat, we find that models with elastic plate thickness of 10-20 km fit best. Finite element models of a volcanic load detached from the underlying lithosphere predict overthrusting and radial normal faulting at the volcano's edge. Such a mechanism for the formation of radial rift zones on Venus volcanoes would make such features analogous to structures on the flanks of volcanoes on Earth.

Mcgovern, Patrick J.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Buckling Behavior of Long Symmetrically Laminated Plates Subjected to Shear and Linearly Varying Axial Edge Loads

A parametric study of the buckling behavior of infinitely long symmetrically laminated anisotropic plates that are subjected to linearly varying edge loads, uniform shear loads, or combinations of these loads is presented. The study focuses on the effects of the shape of linearly varying edge load distribution, plate orthotropy, and plate flexural anisotropy on plate buckling behavior. In addition, the study exmines the interaction of linearly varying edge loads and uniform shear loads with plate flexural anisotropy and orthotropy. Results obtained by using a special purpose nondimensional analysis that is well suited for parametric studies of clamped and simply supported plates are presented for [+/- theta](sub s), thin graphite-epoxy laminates that are representative of spacecraft structural components. Also, numerous generic buckling-design charts are presented for a wide range of nondimensional parameters that are applicable to a broad class of laminate constructions. These charts show explicitly the effects of flexural orthotropy and flexural anisotropy on plate buckling behavior for linearly varying edge loads, uniform shear loads, or combinations of these loads. The most important finding of the present study is that specially orthotropic and flexurally anisotropic plates that are subjected to an axial edge load distribution that is tension dominated can support shear loads that are larger in magnitude than the shear buckling load.

Nemeth, Michael P.↗