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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.

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At least 397 records · Page 22
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1996

A Frequency-Domain Substructure System Identification Algorithm

A new frequency-domain system identification algorithm is presented for system identification of substructures, such as payloads to be flown aboard the Space Shuttle. In the vibration test, all interface degrees of freedom where the substructure is connected to the carrier structure are either subjected to active excitation or are supported by a test stand with the reaction forces measured. The measured frequency-response data is used to obtain a linear, viscous-damped model with all interface-degree of freedom entries included. This model can then be used to validate analytical substructure models. This procedure makes it possible to obtain not only the fixed-interface modal data associated with a Craig-Bampton substructure model, but also the data associated with constraint modes. With this proposed algorithm, multiple-boundary-condition tests are not required, and test-stand dynamics is accounted for without requiring a separate modal test or finite element modeling of the test stand. Numerical simulations are used in examining the algorithm's ability to estimate valid reduced-order structural models. The algorithm's performance when frequency-response data covering narrow and broad frequency bandwidths is used as input is explored. Its performance when noise is added to the frequency-response data and the use of different least squares solution techniques are also examined. The identified reduced-order models are also compared for accuracy with other test-analysis models and a formulation for a Craig-Bampton test-analysis model is also presented.

Blades, Eric L.↗
NASA NTRS2011

High-Temperature Modal Survey of a Hot-Structure Control Surface

Ground vibration tests are routinely conducted for supporting flutter analysis for subsonic and supersonic vehicles; however, for hypersonic vehicles, thermoelastic vibration testing techniques are neither well established nor routinely performed. New high-temperature material systems, fabrication technologies and high-temperature sensors expand the opportunities to develop advanced techniques for performing ground vibration tests at elevated temperatures. When high-temperature materials, which increase in stiffness when heated, are incorporated into a hot-structure that contains metallic components that decrease in stiffness when heated, the interaction between those materials can affect the hypersonic flutter analysis. A high-temperature modal survey will expand the research database for hypersonics and improve the understanding of this dual-material interaction. This report discusses the vibration testing of the carbon-silicon carbide Ruddervator Subcomponent Test Article, which is a truncated version of a full-scale hot-structure control surface. Two series of room-temperature modal test configurations were performed in order to define the modal characteristics of the test article during the elevated-temperature modal survey: one with the test article suspended from a bungee cord (free-free) and the second with it mounted on the strongback (fixed boundary). Testing was performed in the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Flight Loads Laboratory Large Nitrogen Test Chamber.

Spivey, Natalie D.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

X-57 Mod III Wing Ground Vibration Test

The X-57 “Maxwell” all-electric experimental aircraft was an electric propulsion demonstrator developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to inform airworthiness standards for electrified aircraft. The development of the X-57 aircraft was separated into configuration modifications culminating in a distributed electric propulsion flight demonstrator named Modification IV (a.k.a., Mod IV). One of these configurations, the X-57 Mod III aircraft, involved flight-testing of a long, slender, high-aspect-ratio wing with two electric motors located at the wingtips. The X-57 Mod III wing ground vibration test was performed in the Flight Loads Laboratory at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Armstrong Flight Research Center to measure the structural dynamics properties of the newly developed wing, and to confirm airworthiness of the Mod III/IV aircraft. This paper describes the testing performed to acquire the modal data and the subsequent results from the test.

Samson Truong↗
NASA NTRS1992

Middeck zero-gravity dynamics experiment - Comparison of ground and flight test data

An analytic and experimental study of the changes in the modal parameters of space structural test articles from one- to zero-gravity is presented. Deployable, erectable, and rotary modules was assembled to form three one- and two-dimensional structures, in which variations in bracing wire and rotary joint preload could be introduced. The structures were modeled as if hanging from a suspension system in one gravity, and unconstrained, as if free floating in zero-gravity. The analysis is compared with ground experimental measurements, made on a spring/wire suspension system with a nominal plunge frequency of one Hertz, and with measurements made on the Shuttle middeck. The degree of change in linear modal parameters as well as the change in nonlinear nature of the response is examined. Trends in modal parameters are presented as a function of force amplitude, joint preload, and ambient gravity level.

Crawley, Edward F.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Solar Array Damper

This paper describes the design of a solar array damper that will be built into each of two new solar arrays to be installed on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) during Servicing Mission 3. On this mission, currently scheduled for August, 2000, two "rigid" solar array wings will replace the "flexible" wings currently providing power for HST. Dynamic interaction of these wings with the telescope spacecraft can affect the Pointing Control System. The damper, which is integral to the mast of the solar array, suppresses the fundamental bending modes of the deployed wings at 1.2 Hz (in-plane) and 1.6 Hz (out-of-plane). With the flight version of the damper, modal damping of 2.3% of critical is expected over the temperature range of -4 C to 23 C with a peak damping level of 3.9%. The unique damper design is a combination of a titanium spring and viscoelastic-shear-lap dashpot. The damper was designed using a system finite element model of the solar array wing and measured viscoelastic material properties. Direct complex stiffness (DCS) testing was performed to characterize the frequency- and temperature-dependent behavior of the damping prior to fixed-base modal testing of the wing at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center (NASA/GSFC).

Maly, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Modal analysis of UH 60A instrumented rotor blades

The dynamic characteristics of instrumented and production UH-60A Black Hawk main rotor blades were measured, and the results were validated with NASTRAN finite element models. The blades tested included pressure and strain-gage instrumented blades which are part of NASA's Airloads Flight Research Phase of the Modern Technology Rotor Program. The dynamic similarity of the blades was required for accurate data collection in this program. Therefore, a nonrotating blade modal analysis was performed on the first 10 free-free modes to measure blade similarities. The results showed small differences between the modal frequencies of instrumented and production blades and a close correlation with the NASTRAN models. This type of modal testing and analysis is recommended as a standard procedure for future instrumented blade flight testing.

Hamade, Karen S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Skylab vibroacoustic test program

Vibroacoustic testing was performed on the orbital workshop dynamic test article and the payload assembly, the two major elements of the Skylab payload. The testing was conducted on each of the Skylab elements separately in the reverberation chamber at the Johnson Space Center. The two test configurations were high fidelity flight article simulations. The testing was conducted in two phases; in the first phase, acoustic tests were performed at levels simulating the lift-off and atmospheric flight acoustic criteria. In the second phase, low frequency sinusoidal vibration tests were conducted to obtain modal response data. The objectives of the Skylab vibroacoustic test program were to: verify the vibration design and test criteria; qualify selected flight components to the vibroacoustic criteria; and verify analytical models used for dynamic load analyses. This paper describes the vibroacoustic testing and discusses the results.

Jewell, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Modal analysis of UH-60A instrumented rotor blades

The dynamic characteristics of instrumented and production UH-60A Black Hawk main rotor blades were measured, and the results were validated with NASTRAN finite element models. The blades tested included pressure and strain-gage instrumented blades, which are part of the NASA Airloads Flight Research Phase of the Modern Technology Rotor Program. The dynamic similarity of the blades was required for accurate data collection in this program. Therefore, a nonrotating blade modal analysis was performed on the first 10 free-free modes to measure blade similarities. The results showed small differences between the modal frequencies of instrumented and production blades and a close correlation with the NASTRAN models. This type of modal testing and analysis is recommended as a standard procedure for future instrumented blade flight testing.

Hamade, Karen S.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Shake test results of the MDHC test stand in the 40- by 80-foot wind tunnel

A shake test was conducted to determine the modal properties of the MDHC (McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Company) test stand installed in the 40- by 80- Foot Wind Tunnel at Ames Research Center. The shake test was conducted for three wind-tunnel balance configurations with and without balance dampers, and with the snubber engagement to lock the balance frame. A hydraulic shaker was used to apply random excitation at the rotor hub in the longitudinal and lateral directions. A GenRad 2515 computer-aided test system computed the frequency response functions at the rotor hub and support struts. From these response functions, the modal properties, including the natural frequency, damping ratio, and mode shape were calculated. The critical modes with low damping ratios are identified as the test-stand second longitudinal mode for the dampers-off configuration, the test-stand yaw mode for the dampers-on configuration, and the test stand first longitudinal mode for the balance-frame locked configuration.

Lau, Benton H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Laboratory evaluation of two advanced suspension devices for ground vibration testing of large space structures

In order to provide the advanced suspension technology needed to allow ground test measurement of free-body modal parameters, two advanced suspension devices, one passive, the other active, are evaluated on the basis of laboratory testing of each device type with rigid and flexible payloads. Rigid-body tests show the basic behavior of the devices when they are uncoupled from a test article near their bandwidth. Flexible body tests show how suspension device dynamics couple with the dynamics of a representative large space structure. For the flexible body testing, targets for the free-body modal parameters are developed from test-verified analysis of the representative structure suspended in an orientation which is only mildly sensitive to suspension constraints.

Cooley, Victor M.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Application of Quasi-Static Modal Analysis to an Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle Test

Bolted structural joints often exhibit load-dependent stiffness and energy dissipation that leads to nonlinear, amplitude dependent frequency and damping in the structure. As an alternative to direct integration of the nonlinear equations of motion, quasi-static modal analysis (QSMA) determines the dependence of frequency and damping on response amplitude using loading behavior from nonlinear static analyses. QSMA has previously been demonstrated to substantially reduce computational cost and maintain accuracy relative to full nonlinear dynamic simulation. This work explores the applicability of QSMA to a complex, large-scale aerospace structure. QSMA is employed to analyze a nonlinear model of test hardware developed to support the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle program, which exhibited nonlinear behavior during dynamic testing at flight-like load levels. In addition to the extraction of amplitude-dependent frequency and damping curves, a Bouc-Wen hysteresis model was used in conjunction with the quasi-static results to develop nonlinear, uncoupled, time-domain modal equations of motion for the structure. Excellent agreement was observed between the reduced and full-order nonlinear models, encouraging future employment of QSMA to support accurate and efficient model reduction of structures with bolted joint nonlinearities.

QSMA↗
NASA NTRS1991

Identifying the unmodified structural characteristics using multiple modifications

This paper describes a procedure for estimating the free-free modal characteristics of a system by testing multiple constrained states. The procedure eliminates the influences of the constraints on the modal parameters and provides important information at the connection points. For very stiff or very flexible test articles, it is difficult to support the test article and to measure uncompromised modal parameters. The method described in this paper measures the forces and/or responses at constraint-connection points and uses a direct parameter estimation algorithm to calculate the system's free-free characteristics. These free-free characteristics retain the local information at the connection or boundary points, thereby including the important local high frequency residual effects in the modal model.

Barney, Patrick↗
NASA NTRS2001

Evaluation of Test/Analysis Correlation Methods for Crash Applications

A project has been initiated to improve crash test and analysis correlation. The work in this paper concentrated on the test and simulation results for a fuselage section. Two drop tests of the section were conducted. The first test was designed to excite the linear structural response for comparison with finite element modal analysis results. The second test was designed to provide data for correlation with crash simulations. An MSC.Dytran model was developed to generate nonlinear transient dynamic results. Following minor modifications, the same model was executed in MSC.Nastran to generate modal analysis results. The results presented in this paper concentrate on evaluation of correlation methodologies for crash test data and finite element simulation results.

Lyle, Karen H.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A preliminary in-duct measurement of spinning modes in the inlet of a rotating vehicle

Suppression of noise radiated from a jet engine duct is an important environmental problem. Results are presented for a study aimed at developing and evaluating an experimental method for measuring the complex acoustic pressure field at a plane in the inlet of a fan duct. The theory of modal propagation is outlined and related to the theory of measuring spinning modes in the duct. A spinning mode measurement apparatus is described, and preliminary test results of the modal measurement for several operating speeds are presented. The measurement of spinning modes is successfully carried out in the inlet of a rotating vehicle under conditions representative of an actual jet engine. Data repeatability and problems encountered in the measurement are examined. In particular, it is important to calibrate the probe systems for phase and level. Recommendations for future improvements in the method are made.

Kraft, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Development of a nondestructive vibration technique for bond assessment of Space Shuttle tiles

This final report describes the achievements of the above titled project. The project is funded by NASA-KSC (Grant No. NAG 10-0117) for the period of 1 Jan. to 31 Dec. 1993. The purpose of this project was to develop a nondestructive, noncontact technique based on 'vibration signature' of tile systems to quantify the bond conditions of the thermal protection system) tiles of Space Shuttle orbiters. The technique uses a laser rapid scan system, modal measurements, and finite element modeling. Finite element models were developed for tiles bonded to both clamped and deformable integrated skin-stringer orbiter mid-fuselage. Results showed that the size and location of a disbonded tile can be determined from frequency and mode shape information. Moreover, a frequency response survey was used to quickly identify the disbonded tiles. The finite element results were compared with experimentally determined frequency responses of a 17-tile test panel, where a rapidscan laser system was employed. An excellent degree of correlation between the mathematical simulation and experimental results was realized. An inverse solution for single-tile assemblies was also derived and is being implemented into a computer program that can interact with the modal testing software. The output of the program displays the size and location of disbond. This program has been tested with simulated input (i.e., finite element data), and excellent agreement between predicted and simulated disbonds was shown. Finally, laser vibration imaging and acoustic emission techniques were shown to be well suited for detecting and monitoring the progressive damage in Graphite/Epoxy composite materials.

Moslehy, Faissal A.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Simulated Bladed MMC Disk LCF Validation

The goal of this program was to evaluate the low cycle fatigue behavior of an SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V sub-component under bi-axial loading conditions at 316 C(600 F). A simulated bladed TMC disk was designed having thirty four blades representing the number that would be used in Allied Signal's JTAGG II impeller. The outer diameter of the bladed ring was 254 mm (10.0 inch) and the inner diameter 114.3 mm (4.50 inch). The outer and inner diameter of the composite zone was 177.8 mm (7.00 inch) and 127.O mm(5.00 inch) respectively. Stress analysis showed that the fatigue life of the bladed composite ring would be about 12000 cycles for the test conditions applied. A modal analysis was conducted which showed that the blades would have sufficient life margin from dynamic excitation. The arbor design was the same as that employed in the spin-to burst test of NAS3-27027. A systematic stress analysis of each part making up the arbor was undertaken to assure the design would meet the low cycle fatigue requirements of the program. The Textron Systems grooved foil-fiber process was chosen to make the SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V core ring based on the success they had in contract NAS3-27027. Fiber buckling, however, was observed at several locations in the first ring made which rendered it unsuitable for spin testing. The fiber buckling was attributed to cracking of the graphite tooling during the consolidation process. On this basis a second ring was made but it too contained fiber buckling defects. Analysis by Textron indicated that the fiber buckling was most likely due to poor placement of the SCS-6 fiber in the etched grooves of the Ti-6Al-4V foil. This was also a contributor to the defects in the first ring. Since there was little indication of control in the process to manufacture a quality ring a third attempt at making a ring was not undertaken.

Merrick, H. F.↗
NASA NTRS1991

A hybrid approach to test-analysis-model development for large space structures

The present FEM reduction method for the generation of test-analysis-models (TAMs) in test-analysis correlation addresses contentions that the current modal TAM is hypersensitive to differences between test model shapes and analysis mode shapes, thereby generating large off-diagonal terms within the orthogonality and cross-orthogonality matrices employed in test-analysis mode-shape correlation. A hybrid TAM methodology is accordingly developed which combines the exact representation of the FEM target modes from the modal TAM with the more accurate TAM representation of the residual modes; the superior residual dynamics representation of the hybrid TAM is demonstrated for a detailed representation of a large space structure.

Kammer, D. C.↗