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At least 487 records · Page 27

PAB3D Simulations for the CAWAPI F-16XL

Numerical simulations of the flow around F-16XL are performed as a contribution to the Cranked Arrow Wing Aerodynamic Project International (CAWAPI) using the PAB3D CFD code. Two turbulence models are used in the calculations: a standard k-! model, and the Shih-Zhu-Lumley (SZL) algebraic stress model. Seven flight conditions are simulated for the flow around the F-16XL where the free stream Mach number varies from 0.242 to 0.97. The range of angles of attack varies from 0° to 20°. Computational results, surface static pressure, boundary layer velocity profiles, and skin friction are presented and compared with flight data. Numerical results are generally in good agreement with flight data, considering that only one grid resolution is utilized for the different flight conditions simulated in this study. The ASM results are closer to the flight data than the k-ε model results. The ASM predicted a stronger primary vortex, however, the origin of the vortex and footprint is approximately the same as in the k-ε predictions.

Flight Data↗

Ferroelectric Liquid Crystals In Aerodynamic Testing

The process of simultaneous optical visualization and quantitative measurement of aerodynamic boundary layer parameters requires new concepts, materials and utilization methods. Measurement of shear stress in terms of the transmitted or the reflected light intensity from an aligned ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) thin (approx. 1 micron) film deposited on a glass substrate has been the first step in this direction. In this paper, recent progress in utilization of FLC thin films for skin friction measurement and for studying the state of the boundary layer in a wind tunnel environment is reviewed. The switching characteristics of FLCs have been used to measure pressure from the newly devised system of partially exposed polymer dispersed ferroelectric liquid crystals (PEPDFLCs). In this configuration, a PEPDFLC thin film (approx. 10-25 microns) is sandwiched between two transparent conducting electrodes, one a rigid surface and the other a flexible sheet such as polyvinylidene fluoride or mylar. The switching characteristics of the film are a function of the pressure applied to the flexible transparent electrode and a predetermined bias voltage across the two electrodes. The results, considering the dielectrics of composite media, are discussed.

Parmar, Devendra S.↗

Function of human eccrine sweat glands during dynamic exercise and passive heat stress

The purpose of this study was to identify the pattern of change in the density of activated sweat glands (ASG) and sweat output per gland (SGO) during dynamic constant-workload exercise and passive heat stress. Eight male subjects (22.8 +/- 0.9 yr) exercised at a constant workload (117.5 +/- 4.8 W) and were also passively heated by lower-leg immersion into hot water of 42 degrees C under an ambient temperature of 25 degrees C and relative humidity of 50%. Esophageal temperature, mean skin temperature, sweating rate (SR), and heart rate were measured continuously during both trials. The number of ASG was determined every 4 min after the onset of sweating, whereas SGO was calculated by dividing SR by ASG. During both exercise and passive heating, SR increased abruptly during the first 8 min after onset of sweating, followed by a slower increase. Similarly for both protocols, the number of ASG increased rapidly during the first 8 min after the onset of sweating and then ceased to increase further (P > 0.05). Conversely, SGO increased linearly throughout both perturbations. Our results suggest that changes in forearm sweating rate rely on both ASG and SGO during the initial period of exercise and passive heating, whereas further increases in SR are dependent on increases in SGO.

NASA Discipline Cardiopulmonary↗

Fundamental studies of antimisting fuels

Research is currently being undertaken to determine the various physical characteristics of antimisting fuel. It is an endeavor to prevent post-crash fuel mist fires. The following studies were done: (1) drop and jet breakup studies using an image processing technique, (2) flammability of fuel mist under simulated plane crash conditions; (3) skin friction measurements; (4) determination of the tensile viscosity of non-Newtonian antimisting fuel as a function of the extensional rate; and (5) water compatibility measurements. The results indicate that the mechanism which prevents antimisting fuel breakup is related to the time-dependent tensile viscosity of antimisting fuel under stress. Drag reduction phenomenon was also observed at Reynolds numbers higher than 20,000. Uptake of water by the antimisting fuel is higher than that for the neat fuel. In addition, its rate of absorption depends on the concurrent degree of agitation.

Sarohia, V.↗

Global Failure Modes in Composite Structures for High Altitudes

This report summarizes the accomplishments under the referenced grant. The work described was started under the guidance and supervision of the late Dr. James Stames as the technical contact. It was aimed at investigating the development of analysis tools to deal with the problem of rupture in reinforced structural skin of future composites-based aircraft. It was of particular interest to assess methods by which failure features reminiscent of cracks in metallic structures would develop and propagate in fiber reinforced structures in interaction with the reinforcing frame. To eventually achieve that goal it was necessary to first understand the stress or strain distribution at the front of such features so that interactions between such features and reinforcing agents could be assessed computationally. Thus the major emphasis here was on the assessment of damage front and methods on how to assess or characterize it. During the conduct of this research program Dr. Stames changed to a different NASA- internal assignment, which divorced him of the direct supervision of this grant. A student who was approximately % into the completion of his Ph.D. research needed to finish this work, and NASA funds were made available under Dr. Damodar Ambur, the successor Branch Manager for Dr. James Starnes, for the completion of this work. The current grant was the thus a new and fmal support increment for completion of the started research. Final reports for previous funding have been completed and submitted. Because of the interconnection of this last phase of the investigation with previous work it is deemed useful to make the Ph.D. thesis by Luis Gonzales the body of this report.

Knauss, W. G.↗

Icing Formation Strains on Airfoil Skin

Aircraft icing has long presented a safety hazard to the aerospace industry. One problem inherent to aircraft icing is predicting the adhesive properties of the ice-aircraft interface; values commonly reported span multiple orders of magnitude, making shedding prediction and surface evaluation difficult. An effort has been undertaken at the NASA Glenn Research Center to understand the cause of the scatter in the data. Geometry dependencies, variation in testing procedures, and residual stresses in ice samples have previously been identified as significant contributors to the problem. Residual stresses were singled out for this study, which investigated the strains at the leading edge of a Common Research Model (CRM) wind tunnel model in the NASA Glenn Icing Research Tunnel. Sprays were conducted at a particle size median volumetric diameter (MVD) of 20 µm, with liquid water contents (LWC) spanning from 0.4 to 3.0 g/m3. Total temperatures were varied between 0 and -25 °C, and test section velocity between 51 and 118 m/s. The leading edge was instrumented with custom strain gages, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), optical fibers, and a pressure mat. Results indicate Δ strains, which were the difference between recorded strains and those predicted from isotropic thermal expansion of aluminum, below -400 µε with consistent patterns of strain across a wide variety of tunnel conditions. Isotropic, linear elastic finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted by varying the temperature of simplified airfoil and ice geometries, producing similar strains to those observed in testing. This allowed induced stresses to be predicted. Predicted stresses were above the expected tensile strength for ice, and suggest a source for previously observed cracking in tunnel ice.

Ice Adhesion↗

Let’s talk about sex: A biological variable in immune response against melanoma

As science culture gravitates toward a more holistic inclusion of both males and females in research design, the outlining of sex differences and their respective intersections with disease physiology and pathophysiology should see reciprocal expansion. Melanoma skin cancer, for example, has observed a female advantage in incidence, mortality, and overall survival since the early 1970s. The exact biological mechanism of this trend, however, is unclear and further complicated by a layering of clinical variables such as skin phototype, age, and body mass index. In this perspective, we highlight epidemiological evidence of sex differences in melanoma and summarize the landscape of their potential origin. Among several biological hallmarks, we make a note of sex-specific immune profiles—along with divergent hormonal regulation, social practices, DNA damage and oxidative stress responses, body composition, genetic variants, and X-chromosome expression—as probable drivers of disparity in melanoma initiation and progression. This review further focuses the conversation of sex as an influencing factor in melanoma development and its potential implication for disease management and treatment strategies.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Cryovolcanic Emplacement of Domes on Europa

Here we explore the hypothesis that certain domes on Europa may have been produced by the extrusion of viscous cryolavas. A new mathematical method for the emplacement and relaxation of viscous lava domes is presented and applied to putative cryovolcanic domes on Europa. A similarity solution approach is applied to the governing equation for fluid flow in a cylindrical geometry, and dome relaxation is explored assuming a volume of cryolava has been rapidly emplaced onto the surface. Nonphysical sin- gularities inherent in previous models for dome relaxation have been eliminated, and cryolava cooling is represented by a time-variable viscosity. We find that at the onset of relaxation, bulk kinematic viscosities may lie in the range between 10(exp 3) and 10(exp 6) sq m/s, while the actual fluid lava viscosity may be much lower. Plausible relaxation times to form the domes, which are linked to bulk cryolava rheology, are found to range from 3.6 days to 7.5 years. We find that cooling of the cryolava, while dominated by conduction through an icy skin, should not prevent fluids from advancing and relaxing to form domes within the timescales considered. Determining the range of emplacement conditions for putative cryolava domes will shed light on Europa's resurfacing history. In addition, the rheologies and compositions of erupted cryolavas have implications for subsurface cryomagma ascent and local surface stress conditions on Europa.

volcanism↗

Surface Imaging Skin Friction Instrument and Method

A surface imaging skin friction instrument allowing 2D resolution of spatial image by a 2D Hilbert transform and 2D inverse thin-oil film solver, providing an innovation over prior art single point approaches. Incoherent, monochromatic light source can be used. The invention provides accurate, easy to use, economical measurement of larger regions of surface shear stress in a single test.

Brown, James L.↗

In-Situ Ice Adhesion Testing using the Deformed Skin Adhesion Test

There exists a plethora of ice adhesion testing methods such as centrifuge-based methods, push/pull methods, and lap joint shear tests. However, these methods often cannot be done in-situ during an icing spray and require researcher handling/preparation prior to testing. Additionally, many of these methods test ice accretions that are not representative of the ice shapes that grow on airframes which can have unintended consequences such as edge or corner stress concentrations. In order to mitigate the issues present with other ice adhesion tests a novel, hands-free, in-situ test method imbedded into the leading edge of the airfoil has been developed and tested in the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel. The mechanics of the new test method are discussed with finite element simulations being used to highlight the fundamental mechanics of this test method. The testing procedures used during the experimental test campaign are discussed along with the icing cloud test matrix. Analysis of the force-displacement results highlights the repeatability of the test method with regards to both sample behavior across several days of testing and different ice shapes. The results from first run of the day showed a significant discrepancy from subsequent runs and differential image analysis was used to determine differences in the interfacial bonding states between runs.

Ice Adhesion↗

In-Situ Ice Adhesion Testing using the Deformed Skin Adhesion Test

There exists a plethora of ice adhesion testing methods such as centrifuge-based methods, push/pull methods, and lap joint shear tests. However, these methods often cannot be done in-situ during an icing spray and require researcher handling/preparation prior to testing. Additionally, many of these methods test ice accretions that are not representative of the ice shapes that grow on airframes which can have unintended consequences such as edge or corner stress concentrations. In order to mitigate the issues present with other ice adhesion tests a novel, hands-free, in-situ test method imbedded into the leading edge of the airfoil has been developed and tested in the NASA Glenn Research Center Icing Research Tunnel. The mechanics of the new test method are discussed with finite element simulations being used to highlight the fundamental mechanics of this test method. The testing procedures used during the experimental test campaign are discussed along with the icing cloud test matrix. Analysis of the force-displacement results highlights the repeatability of the test method with regards to both sample behavior across several days of testing and different ice shapes. The results from first run of the day showed a significant discrepancy from subsequent runs and differential image analysis was used to determine differences in the interfacial bonding states between runs.

Ice Adhesion↗

Fluid mechanics experiments in oscillatory flow. Volume 1: Report

Results of a fluid mechanics measurement program in oscillating flow within a circular duct are presented. The program began with a survey of transition behavior over a range of oscillation frequency and magnitude and continued with a detailed study at a single operating point. Such measurements were made in support of Stirling engine development. Values of three dimensionless parameters, Re(sub max), Re(sub w), and A(sub R), embody the velocity amplitude, frequency of oscillation and mean fluid displacement of the cycle, respectively. Measurements were first made over a range of these parameters which included operating points of all Stirling engines. Next, a case was studied with values of these parameters that are representative of the heat exchanger tubes in the heater section of NASA's Stirling cycle Space Power Research Engine (SPRE). Measurements were taken of the axial and radial components of ensemble-averaged velocity and rms-velocity fluctuation and the dominant Reynolds shear stress, at various radial positions for each of four axial stations. In each run, transition from laminar to turbulent flow, and its reverse, were identified and sufficient data was gathered to propose the transition mechanism. Models of laminar and turbulent boundary layers were used to process the data into wall coordinates and to evaluate skin friction coefficients. Such data aids in validating computational models and is useful in comparing oscillatory flow characteristics to those of fully-developed steady flow. Data were taken with a contoured entry to each end of the test section and with flush square inlets so that the effects of test section inlet geometry on transition and turbulence are documented. Volume 1 contains the text of the report including figures and supporting appendices. Volume 2 contains data reduction program listings and tabulated data (including its graphical presentation).

Seume, J.↗

Control of Thermal Deflection, Panel Flutter and Acoustic Fatigue at Elevated Temperatures Using Shape Memory Alloys

The High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) will have to be designed to withstand high aerodynamic load at supersonic speeds (panel flutter) and high acoustic load (acoustic or sonic fatigue) due to fluctuating boundary layer or jet engine acoustic pressure. The thermal deflection of the skin panels will also alter the vehicle's configuration, thus it may affect the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle and lead to poor performance. Shape memory alloys (SMA) have an unique ability to recover large strains completely when the alloy is heated above the characteristic transformation (austenite finish T(sub f)) temperature. The recovery stress and elastic modulus are both temperature dependent, and the recovery stress also depends on the initial strain. An innovative concept is to utilize the recovery stress by embedding the initially strained SMA wire in a graphite/epoxy composite laminated panel. The SMA wires are thus restrained and large inplane forces are induced in the panel at elevated temeperatures. By embedding SMA in composite panel, the panel becomes much stiffer at elevated temperatures. That is because the large tensile inplane forces induced in the panel from the SMA recovery stress. A stiffer panel would certainly yield smaller dynamic responses.

Mei, Chuh↗

Nonlinear Response and Residual Strength of Damaged Stiffened Shells Subjected to Combined Loads

The results of an analytical study of the nonlinear response of stiffened fuselage shells with long cracks are presented. The shells are modeled with a hierarchical modeling strategy and analyzed with a nonlinear shell analysis code that maintains the shell in a nonlinear equilibrium state while the crack is grown. The analysis accurately accounts for global and local structural response phenomena. Fuselage skins, frames stringers and failsafe straps are included in the models. Results are presented for various combinations of internal pressure and mechanical bending, vertical shear and torsion loads, and the effects of crack orientation and location on the shell response are described. These results indicate that the nonlinear interaction between the in-plane stress resultants and the out-of-plane displacements near a crack can significantly affect the structural response of the shell, and the stress-intensity factors associated with a crack that are used to predict residual strength. The effects of representative combined loading conditions on the stress-intensity factors associated with a crack are presented. The effects of varying structural parameters on the stress-intensity factors associated with a crack, and on self-similar and non-self-similar crack-growth are also presented.

Starnes, James H., Jr.↗

Computational Study of Surface Tension and Wall Adhesion Effects on an Oil Film Flow Underneath an Air Boundary Layer

The fringe-imaging skin friction (FISF) technique, which was originally developed by D. J. Monson and G. G. Mateer at Ames Research Center and recently extended to 3-D flows, is the most accurate skin friction measurement technique currently available. The principle of this technique is that the skin friction at a point on an aerodynamic surface can be determined by measuring the time-rate-of-change of the thickness of an oil drop placed on the surface under the influence of the external air boundary layer. Lubrication theory is used to relate the oil-patch thickness variation to shear stress. The uncertainty of FISF measurements is estimated to be as low as 4 percent, yet little is known about the effects of surface tension and wall adhesion forces on the measured results. A modified version of the free-surface Navier-Stokes solver RIPPLE, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratories, was used to compute the time development of an oil drop on a surface under a simulated air boundary layer. RIPPLE uses the volume of fluid method to track the surface and the continuum surface force approach to model surface tension and wall adhesion effects. The development of an oil drop, over a time period of approximately 4 seconds, was studied. Under the influence of shear imposed by an air boundary layer, the computed profile of the drop rapidly changes from its initial circular-arc shape to a wedge-like shape. Comparison of the time-varying oil-thickness distributions computed using RIPPLE and also computed using a greatly simplified numerical model of an oil drop equation which does not include surface tension and wall adhesion effects) was used to evaluate the effects of surface tension on FISF measurement results. The effects of surface tension were found to be small but not necessarily negligible in some cases.

Celic, Alan↗

Residual life and strength estimates of aircraft structural components with MSD/MED

Economic and safe operation of the flight vehicles flying beyond their initial design life calls for an in-depth structural integrity evaluation of all components with potential for catastrophic damages. Fuselage panels with cracked skin and/or stiffening elements is one such example. A three level analytical approach is developed to analyze the pressurized fuselage stiffened shell panels with damaged skin or stiffening elements. A global finite element analysis is first carried out to obtain the load flow pattern through the damaged panel. As an intermediate step, the damaged zone is treated as a spatially three-dimensional structure modeled by plate and shell finite elements, with all the neighboring elements that can alter the stress state at the crack tip. This is followed by the Schwartz-Neumann alternating method for local analysis to obtain the relevant crack tip parameters that govern the onset of fracture and the crack growth. The methodology developed is generic in nature and aims at handling a large fraction of problem areas identified by the Industry Committee on Wide-Spread Fatigue Damage.

Singh, Ripudaman↗

Compression Buckling Behavior of Large-Scale Friction Stir Welded and Riveted 2090-T83 Al-Li Alloy Skin-Stiffener Panels

To evaluate the potential of friction stir welding (FSW) as a replacement for traditional rivet fastening for launch vehicle dry bay construction, a large-scale friction stir welded 2090-T83 aluminum-lithium (Al-Li) alloy skin-stiffener panel was designed and fabricated by Lockheed-Martin Space Systems Company - Michoud Operations (LMSS) as part of NASA Space Act Agreement (SAA) 446. The friction stir welded panel and a conventional riveted panel were tested to failure in compression at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). The present paper describes the compression test results, stress analysis, and associated failure behavior of these panels. The test results provide useful data to support future optimization of FSW processes and structural design configurations for launch vehicle dry bay structures.

Hoffman, Eric K.↗

Fuselage Versus Subcomponent Panel Response Correlation Based on ABAQUS Explicit Progressive Damage Analysis Tools

Analysis performed in this study substantiates the need for high fidelity vehicle level progressive damage analyses (PDA) structural models for use in the verification and validation of proposed sub-scale structural models and to support required full-scale vehicle level testing. PDA results are presented that capture and correlate the responses of sub-scale 3-stringer and 7-stringer panel models and an idealized 8-ft diameter fuselage model, which provides a vehicle level environment for the 7-stringer sub-scale panel model. Two unique skin-stringer attachment assumptions are considered and correlated in the models analyzed: the TIE constraint interface versus the cohesive element (COH3D8) interface. Evaluating different interfaces allows for assessing a range of predicted damage modes, including delamination and crack propagation responses. Damage models considered in this study are the ABAQUS built-in Hashin procedure and the COmplete STress Reduction (COSTR) damage procedure implemented through a VUMAT user subroutine using the ABAQUS/Explicit code.

Gould, Kevin E.↗