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At least 325 records · Page 18

Improved Flat Specimens For Tensile And Fatigue Testing Of Composites

Improved shape proposed for flat, reduced-gauge-section specimens for tensile and fatigue testing of advanced composite materials at ambient and high temperatures. Typical specimen consists of flat bar 15.2 centimeters long, 1.27 centimeters wide, and 0.318 centimeters thick, with full-width tab regions at ends, 3.81-centimeters-long gauge section of reduced width in middle, and two transition regions where width tapers between tab and gauge widths along 6.35-centimeters-radius circular arc tangent to edge of gauge section. Specimen gripped by squeezing between tabs in tab regions, and tensile test load applied via tab grips. Configuration reduces undesired concentrations of stresses in transition and tab regions, forcing tensile failure to occur in gauge section and ensuring more-consistent results in tensile tests.

Worthem, Dennis W.↗

Evaluation of Composite Airframe Dynamic Impact Modeling Using Hawker 4000 Fuselage Drop Test Data

Two drop tests of partial Hawker 4000 fuselage sections were conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) to characterize the response of representative composite aerospace structure to dynamic impact loads. Test conditions were selected to induce damage into the composite structure in order to study material failure within a composite fuselage and evaluate the capability of finite element (FE) model analysis to predict that failure. The tests were simulated using FE models which were generated to isolate the effect of developmental data availability on predictive capability. FE Models of the tested fuselage sections were generated using two limited data sets. The first model configuration was reverse engineered from the test article with no information related to design or fabrication details which would be known only by the manufacturer. The second model was generated from data provided by the manufacturer but without additional material characterization test data. Models were developed using these methodologies for both fuselage sections tested. Correlation of each model to the tests conducted was evaluated in terms of damage, deformation, and cabin acceleration measurements. Correlation between the developed models and the tested fuselage sections showed that the reverse engineered model predicted the composite damage and cabin acceleration measured during test though it was limited due to lack of detail in the composite layup changes through the structure. The model developed using manufacturer specifications did not predict damage, due to limited material and component model characterization data, but it did predict acceleration on par with the reverse engineered model. Model capability and limitation sources identified were verified through correlation of a final model which was developed by combining the individual data sets. The combined model demonstrated that the addition of calibrated composite material models to accurate composite layup definitions and detailed geometry led to improved correlation of damage and acceleration response within the composite fuselage structures.

Crashworthiness↗

Evaluation of Composite Airframe Dynamic Impact Modeling Using Hawker 4000 Fuselage Drop Test Data

Two drop tests of partial Hawker 4000 fuselage sections were conducted at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center (LaRC) to characterize the response of representative composite aerospace structure to dynamic impact loads. Test conditions were selected to induce damage into the composite structure in order to study material failure within a composite fuselage and evaluate the capability of finite element (FE) model analysis to predict that failure. The tests were simulated using FE models which were generated to isolate the effect of developmental data availability on predictive capability. FE Models of the tested fuselage sections were generated using two limited data sets. The first model configuration was reverse engineered from the test article with no information related to design or fabrication details which would be known only by the manufacturer. The second model was generated from data provided by the manufacturer but without additional material characterization test data. Models were developed using these methodologies for both fuselage sections tested. Correlation of each model to the tests conducted was evaluated in terms of damage, deformation, and cabin acceleration measurements. Correlation between the developed models and the tested fuselage sections showed that the reverse engineered model predicted the composite damage and cabin acceleration measured during test though it was limited due to lack of detail in the composite layup changes through the structure. The model developed using manufacturer specifications did not predict damage, due to limited material and component model characterization data, but it did predict acceleration on par with the reverse engineered model. Model capability and limitation sources identified were verified through correlation of a final model which was developed by combining the individual data sets. The combined model demonstrated that the addition of calibrated composite material models to accurate composite layup definitions and detailed geometry led to improved correlation of damage and acceleration response within the composite fuselage structures.

Crashworthiness↗

Fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite (MMC). The material was a 12.7 mm thick extrusion of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy with 40 v/o SiC particulates. Specimen configuration and test procedure conformed to ASTM E399 Standard for compact specimens. It was found that special procedures were necessary to obtain fatigue cracks of controlled lengths in the preparation of precracked specimens for the MMC material. Fatigue loading with both minimum and maximum loads in compression was used to start the precrack. The initial precracking would stop by self-arrest. Afterwards, the precrack could be safely extended to the desired length by additional cyclic tensile loading. Test results met practically all the E399 criteria for the calculation of plane strain fracture toughness of the material. A valid K sub IC value of the SiC/Al composite was established as K sub IC = 8.9 MPa square root of m. The threshold stress intensity under which crack would cease to grow in the material was estimated as delta K sub th = 2MPa square root of m for R = 0.09 using the fatigue precracking data. Fractographic examinations show that failure occurred by the micromechanism involved with plastic deformation although the specimens broke by brittle fracture. The effect of precracking by cyclic loading in compression on fracture toughness is included in the discussion.

Flom, Yury↗

Fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate fracture toughness of SiC/Al metal matrix composite (MMC). The material was a 12.7 mm thick extrusion of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy with 40 v/o SiC particulates. Specimen configuration and test procedure conformed to ASTM E399 Standard for compact specimens. It was found that special procedures were necessary to obtain fatigue cracks of controlled lengths in the preparation of precracked specimens for the MMC material. Fatigue loading with both minimum and maximum loads in compression was used to start the precrack. The initial precracking would stop by self-arrest. Afterwards, the precrack could be safely extended to the desired length by additional cyclic tensile loading. Test results met practically all the E399 criteria for the calculation of plane strain fracture toughness of the material. A valid K sub IC value of the SiC/Al composite was established as K sub IC = 8.9 MPa square root of m. The threshold stress intensity under which crack would cease to grow in the material was estimated as delta K sub th = 2MPa square root of m for R = 0.09 using the fatigue precracking data. Fractographic examinations show that failure occurred by the micromechanism involved with plastic deformation although the specimens broke by brittle fracture. The effect of precracking by cyclic loading in compression on fracture toughness is included in the discussion.

Flom, Yury↗

Force limit specifications vs. design limit loads in vibration testing

The purpose of the work presented herein is to discuss the results of force limit notching during vibration testing with respect to the traditional limit load design criteria. By using a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) system approach, this work shows that with an appropriate force specification the notched response due to force limiting will result in loads comparable with the structural design limit criteria.

force limiting vibration testing flight limit load↗

Lubrication and Cooling Studies of Cylindrical-Roller Bearings at High Speeds

The results of an experimental investigation of the effect of oil inlet distribution and oil inlet temperature on the inner and outer-race temperatures of 75-millimeter-bore (size 215) cylindrical-roller inner-race-riding cage-type bearings are reported. A radial-load test rig was used over a range of dn values (product of the bearing bore in mm and the shaft speed in r.p.m) from 0.3 x 10(5) to 1.2 x 10(6) and static radial loads from 7 to 1113 pounds.

Macks, E Fred↗

Aeroservoelastic Testing of Free Flying Wind Tunnel Models Part 2: A Centerline Supported Fullspan Model Tested for Gust Load Alleviation

This is part 2 of a two part document. Part 1 is titled: "Aeroservoelastic Testing of Free Flying Wind Tunnel Models Part 1: A Sidewall Supported Semispan Model Tested for Gust Load Alleviation and Flutter Suppression." A team comprised of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Boeing, and the NASA Langley Research Center conducted three aeroservoelastic wind tunnel tests in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel to demonstrate active control technologies relevant to large, flexible vehicles. In the first of these three tests, a full-span, aeroelastically scaled, wind tunnel model of a joined wing SensorCraft vehicle was mounted to a force balance to acquire a basic aerodynamic data set. In the second and third tests, the same wind tunnel model was mated to a new, two degree of freedom, beam mount. This mount allowed the full-span model to translate vertically and pitch. Trimmed flight at10 percent static margin and gust load alleviation were successfully demonstrated. The rigid body degrees of freedom required that the model be flown in the wind tunnel using an active control system. This risky mode of testing necessitated that a model arrestment system be integrated into the new mount. The safe and successful completion of these free-flying tests required the development and integration of custom hardware and software. This paper describes the many systems, software, and procedures that were developed as part of this effort. The balance and free flying wind tunnel tests will be summarized. The design of the trim and gust load alleviation control laws along with the associated results will also be discussed.

Scott, Robert C.↗

Benchmark notch test for life prediction

Aircraft gas turbine engine components are subjected to severe stress, temperature, and environmental conditions. Economic and reliabilty demands have prompted inordinate effort in development of analytic methods to predict stresses and strains in aircraft engines. There remains, however, the need to check or verify these analytical methodologies against actual experimental data measurements. The laser interferometric strain displacement gage was recognized as having the potential to accomplish this task and was employed in this program. The actual strains incurred at the root of a discontinuity in cyclically loaded test samples subjected to inelastic deformation at high temperature where creep deformation readily occur were measured. The steady-state, cyclic stress-strain response at the root of the discontinuity in the tested samples was analyzed for comparison with the measured results. A comprehensive set of local notch root strain measurements for a variety of load patterns in an Inconel 718 notch specimen at 649 C (1200 F) was obtained and documented using the laser interferometric strain displacement gage.

Domas, P. A.↗

Fracture testing with surface crack specimens

This paper is a report of ASTM Task Group E24.01.05 on Part-Through Crack Testing. It includes recommendations for the design, preparation, and static fracture testing of surface crack specimens based on the current state of the art. The recommendations are preceded by background information including discussions of stress intensity factors, crack opening displacements, and fracture toughness values associated with surface crack specimens. Cyclic-load and sustained-load tests are discussed briefly. Recommendations for further research are included.

Orange, T. W.↗

Fracture testing with surface crack specimens

Recommendations are given for the design, preparation, and static fracture testing of surface-crack specimens based on the current state of the art. The recommendations are preceded by background information including discussions of stress intensity factors, crack opening displacements, and fracture toughness values associated with surface-crack specimens. Cyclic-load and sustained-load tests are discussed briefly. Recommendations for further research are included.

Orange, T. W.↗

A One-Piece Lunar Regolith Bag Garage Prototype

Shelter structures on the moon, even in early phases of exploration, should incorporate lunar materials as much as possible. This Technical Memorandum details the design and construction of a prototype for a one-piece regolith bag unpressurized garage concept and a materials testing program to investigate six candidate fabrics to learn how they might perform in the lunar environment. The conceptualization was that a lightweight fabric form be launched from Earth and landed on the lunar surface to be robotically filled with raw lunar regolith. Regolith bag fabric candidates included: Vectran(TM), Nextel(TM), Gore PTFE Fabric(TM), Zylon(TM), Twaron(TM), and Nomex(TM). Tensile (including post radiation exposure), fold, abrasion, and hypervelocity impact testing were performed under ambient conditions, and also performed under cold and elevated temperatures. In some cases, Johnson Space Center lunar simulant (JSC-1) was used in conjunction with testing. A series of preliminary structures was constructed during final prototype design based on the principles of the classic masonry arch. The prototype was constructed of Kevlar(TM) and filled with vermiculite. The structure is free-standing, but has not yet been load tested. Future plans would be to construct higher fidelity prototypes and to conduct appropriate tests of the structure.

Smithers, G. A.↗

Development and test of advanced composite components. Center Directors discretionary fund program

This report describes the design, analysis, fabrication, and test of a complex bathtub fitting. Graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix were utilized in manufacturing of 11 components representing four different design and layup concepts. Design allowables were developed for use in the final stress analysis. Strain gage measurements were taken throughout the static load test and correlation of test and analysis data were performed, yielding good understanding of the material behavior and instrumentation requirements for future applications.

Faile, G.↗

Unsteady flow phenomena in industrial centrifugal compressor stage

The results of an experimental investigation on a typical centrifugal compressor stage running on an atmospheric pressure test rig are shown. Unsteady flow was invariably observed at low flow well before surge. In order to determine the influence of the statoric components, the same impeller was repeatedly tested with the same vaneless diffuser, but varying return channel geometry. Experimental results show the strong effect exerted by the return channel, both on onset and on the behavior of unsteady flow. Observed phenomena have been found to confirm well the observed dynamic behavior of full load tested machines when gas density is high enough to cause appreciable mechanical vibrations. Therefore, testing of single stages at atmospheric pressure may provide a fairly accurate prediction of this kind of aerodynamic excitation.

Bonciani, L.↗

Bioinspired multilayered cellular composites with enhanced energy absorption and shape recovery

Inspired by the multiscale configuration of the microstructure of cork, the paper describes the design, 3D printing, and evaluation of a new type of multilayered cellular composite (MCC) structure composed of hard brittle and soft flexible phases. The mechanical behavior of 3D printed MCC structures have been investigated both experimentally and numerically. The experiments show that the MCC structure absorbs four times the amount of energy of a conventional cellular configuration under compressive strains up to 70%. Finite element simulations and 2D digital image correlation (DIC) also show that the multilayered architecture provides a more uniform strain distribution and higher stress transfer efficiency, with a resulting progressive failure mode rather than a catastrophic one. Cyclic loading tests demonstrate that the MCC structure also possesses exceptional shape recoverability under compressive deformations up to 40%. These remarkable performance characteristics result from synergies between the properties of the two constituent materials and the chosen multilayered cellular microstructure. The soft phase, in particular, plays a pivotal role in absorbing elastic energy during loading and then releasing the stored energy while unloading. The volume fraction of the soft phase is also essential to control energy absorption and the transition of failure modes. The deformation mechanisms demonstrated here are robust and applicable to other architected cellular materials across multiple length scales and suggest new ways to design lightweight and high-resilience structural materials.

bioinspired composites↗

Structural analysis of an NDE-inspected carbon-carbon component

In this research, it is demonstrated that the integration of nondestructive evaluation with the finite element method (a quantitative NDE/FEM approach) can be used for analysis and behavior prediction of advanced materials, such as fiber composites, after processing and during in-service testing. First, stress, strain, and energy data were calculated by the finite element method for square plates with a 10 percent difference in the material properties between specified segments, i.e., between the center and the outside section or between two halves of the plate. This demonstrated the efficiency of the method in predicting variations in the structural behavior based on small material property differences. Then, finite element analyses and actual axial compression tests were performed on a Space Shuttle brake stator made from woven carbon-carbon composites. The material properties used in the numerical modeling of the stator were previously characterized at a large number of points on the component by quantitative NDE-procedures, i.e., ultrasonics and radiography. The results from the experimental compressive loading tests were used to verify the NDE/FEM results. Good agreement was found for most parameters.

Striz, A. G.↗

Active load control during rolling maneuvers

A rolling maneuver load alleviation (RMLA) system has been demonstrated on the active flexible wing (AFW) wind tunnel model in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT). The objective was to develop a systematic approach for designing active control laws to alleviate wing loads during rolling maneuvers. Two RMLA control laws were developed that utilized outboard control-surface pairs (leading and trailing edge) to counteract the loads and that used inboard trailing-edge control-surface pairs to maintain roll performance. Rolling maneuver load tests were performed in the TDT at several dynamic pressures that included two below and one 11 percent above open-loop flutter dynamic pressure. The RMLA system was operated simultaneously with an active flutter suppression system above open-loop flutter dynamic pressure. At all dynamic pressures for which baseline results were obtained, torsion-moment loads were reduced for both RMLA control laws. Results for bending-moment load reductions were mixed; however, design equations developed in this study provided conservative estimates of load reduction in all cases.

Woods-Vedeler, Jessica A.↗

Thermal mathematical modeling and system simulation of Space Shuttle less subsystem

Applications, validation tests, and upgrades of the two- and three-dimensional system level thermal mathematical system simulation models (TMSSM) used for thermal protection system (TPS) analyses are described. The TMSSM were developed as an aid to predicting the performance requirements and configurations of the Shuttle wing leading edge (WLE) and nose cone (NC) TPS tiles. The WLE and its structure were subjected to acoustic, thermal/vacuum, and air loads tests to simulate launch, on-orbit, and re-entry behavior. STS-1, -2 and -5 flight data led to recalibration of on-board instruments and raised estimates of the thermal shock at the NC and WLE. Baseline heating data are now available for the design of future TPS.

Chao, D. C.↗