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At least 163 records · Page 9

The initial torsional stiffness of shells with interior webs

A method of calculating the stresses and torsional stiffness of thin shells with interior webs is summarized. Comparisons between experimental and calculated results are given for 3 duralumin beams, 5 stainless steel beams and 2 duralumin wings. It is concluded that if the theoretical stiffness is multiplied by a correction factor of 0.9, experimental values may be expected to check calculated values within about 10 percent.

Kuhn, Paul↗

Approximate analysis of effects of large deflections and initial twist on torsional stiffness of a cantilever plate subjected to thermal stresses

An approximate analysis of the nonlinear effects of initial twist and large deflections on the torsional stiffness of a cantilever plate subjected to a nonuniform temperature distribution is presented. The Von Karman large-deflection equations are satisfied through the use of a variational principle. The results show that initial twist and applied moments can have significant effects on the changes in stiffness produced by nonuniform heating, particularly in the region of the buckling temperature difference. Results calculated by this approximate analysis are in satisfactory agreement with measured torsional deformations and changes in natural frequency. (author)

Heldenfels, Richard R↗

Calculation of the aerodynamic loading of swept and unswept flexible wings of arbitrary stiffness

A method is presented for calculating the aerodynamic loading, the divergence speed, and certain stability derivatives of swept and unswept wings and tail surfaces of arbitrary stiffness. Provision is made for using either stiffness curves and root rotation constants or structural influence coefficients in the analysis. Computing forms, tables of numerical constants required in the analysis, and an illustrative example are included to facilitate calculations by means of the method.

Diederich, Franklin W↗

Charts for the Determination of Wing Torsional Stiffness Required for Specified Rolling Characteristics or Aileron Reversal Speed

A series of charts are presented by which the wing torsional stiffness required to meet a given standard of rolling effectiveness may be quickly determined. The charts may also be used to obtain quickly the aileron reversal speed and the variation of the loss in rolling effectiveness with airspeed. The charts apply to linearly tapered wings and elliptical wings of tubular-shell construction having various aspect ratios with aileron span and location of ailerons as variables. In the derivation of the charts, induced lift effects have been taken into account and the form of the wing-torsional-stiffness curve has been assumed.

Pearson, Henry A↗

Calculation of the lateral control of swept and unswept flexible wings of arbitrary stiffness

A method similar to that of NACA rep. 1000 is presented for calculating the effectiveness and the reversal speed of lateral-control devices on swept and unswept wings of arbitrary stiffness. Provision is made for using either stiffness curves and root-rotation constants or structural influence coefficients in the analysis. Computing forms and an illustrative example are included to facilitate calculations by means of the method. The effectiveness of conventional aileron configurations and the margin against aileron reversal are shown to be relatively low for swept wings at all speeds and for all wing plan forms at supersonic speeds.

Diederich, Franklin W↗

The stress criterion of a tension member with graded flexural stiffness : contribution to the problem of "clamping effect" outside of the elastic range

The approximate size of the stress criterion of a bar on two supports stressed beyond the elastic range is assessed by an approximation. The calculation proceeds from the premise of "substitute flexural stiffness" so defined that the part stressed beyond the elastic range may be considered as following Hooke's law when determining the flexural deformation quantities. For the determination of the substitute flexural stiffness, it is presumed that the material is already stressed so much beyond the yield point as to be strain-hardened. The data are directly applicable to materials having no definite yield point. For the rest, von Karman's method for compressed and subsequently deflected bars serves as basis for the calculation.

Kaul, Hans W↗

Flat sheet metal girders with very thin metal web. Part II : sheet metal girders with spars resistant to bending - oblique uprights - stiffness

Noting that the stiffness of the girder increases very rapidly as Beta increases, the result can be summed up as follows: When the cross stress preponderates in one direction and when the web plate is to be given the dimensions commensurate to its stresses, it is advisable (regardless of any ensuing structural difficulties) to set the uprights at about Beta = 120 degrees, thereby lowering the weight of the plate wall 15 percent (in contrast to Beta = 90 degrees), and raising the stiffness 55 percent. But, when the cross stresses alternate and are approximately of the same intensity in both directions, or, if the web plate thickness is determined by other structural reasons, then Beta = 90 degrees should be chosen.

Wagner, Herbert↗

Stiffness-generated rigid-body mode shapes for Lanczos eigensolution with SUPORT DOF by way of a MSC/NASTRAN DMAP alter

When using all MSC/NASTRAN eigensolution methods except Lanczos, the analyst can replace the coupled system rigid-body modes calculated within DMAP module READ with mass orthogonalized and normalized rigid-body modes generated from the system stiffness. This option is invoked by defining MSC/NASTRAN r-set degrees of freedom via the SUPORT bulk data card. The newly calculated modes are required if the rigid-body modes calculated by the eigensolver are not 'clean' due to numerical roundoffs in the solution. When performing transient structural dynamic load analysis, the numerical roundoffs can result in inaccurate rigid-body accelerations which affect steady-state responses. Unfortunately, when using the Lanczos method and defining r-set degrees of freedom, the rigid-body modes calculated within DMAP module REIGL are retained. To overcome this limitation and to allow MSC/NASTRAN to handle SUPORT degrees of freedom identically for all eigensolvers, a DMAP Alter has been written which replaces Lanczos-calculated rigid-body modes with stiffness-generated rigid-body modes. The newly generated rigid-body modes are normalized with respect to the system mass and orthogonalized using the Gram-Schmidt technique. This algorithm has been implemented as an enhancement to an existing coupled loads methodology.

Abdallah, Ayman A.↗

An investigation of angular stiffness and damping coefficients of an axial spline coupling in high-speed rotating machinery

This paper provided an opportunity to quantify the angular stiffness and equivalent viscous damping coefficients of an axial spline coupling used in high-speed turbomachinery. A unique test methodology and data reduction procedures were developed. The bending moments and angular deflections transmitted across an axial spline coupling were measured while a nonrotating shaft was excited by an external shaker. A rotor dynamics computer program was used to simulate the test conditions and to correlate the angular stiffness and damping coefficients. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed to show that the accuracy of the dynamic coefficients do not rely on the accuracy of the data reduction procedures.

Ku, C.-P. Roger↗

Variable stiffness torsion springs

In a torsion spring the spring action is a result of the relationships between the torque applied in twisting the spring, the angle through which the torsion spring twists, and the modulus of elasticity of the spring material in shear. Torsion springs employed industrially have been strips, rods, or bars, generally termed shafts, capabable of being flexed by twisting their axes. They rely on the variations in shearing forces to furnish an internal restoring torque. In the torsion springs herein the restoring torque is external and therefore independent of the shearing modulus of elasticity of the torsion spring shaft. Also provided herein is a variable stiffness torsion spring. This torsion spring can be so adjusted as to have a given spring constant. Such variable stiffness torsion springs are extremely useful in gimballed payloads such as sensors, telescopes, and electronic devices on such platforms as a space shuttle or a space station.

Alhorn, Dean C.↗

A comparison of three-dimensional nonequilibrium solution algorithms applied to hypersonic flows with stiff chemical source terms

Three solution algorithms, explicit underrelaxation, point implicit, and lower upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel (LUSGS), are used to compute nonequilibrium flow around the Apollo 4 return capsule at 62 km altitude. By varying the Mach number, the efficiency and robustness of the solution algorithms were tested for different levels of chemical stiffness. The performance of the solution algorithms degraded as the Mach number and stiffness of the flow increased. At Mach 15, 23, and 30, the LUSGS method produces an eight order of magnitude drop in the L2 norm of the energy residual in 1/3 to 1/2 the Cray C-90 computer time as compared to the point implicit and explicit under-relaxation methods. The explicit under-relaxation algorithm experienced convergence difficulties at Mach 23 and above. At Mach 40 the performance of the LUSGS algorithm deteriorates to the point it is out-performed by the point implicit method. The effects of the viscous terms are investigated. Grid dependency questions are explored.

Palmer, Grant↗

Variable stiffness torsion springs

In a torsion spring the spring action is a result of the relationships between the torque applied in twisting the spring, the angle through which the torsion spring twists, and the modulus of elasticity of the spring material in shear. Torsion springs employed industrially have been strips, rods, or bars, generally termed shafts, capabable of being flexed by twisting their axes. They rely on the variations in shearing forces to furnish an internal restoring torque. In the torsion springs herein the restoring torque is external and therefore independent of the shearing modulus of elasticity of the torsion spring shaft. Also provided herein is a variable stiffness torsion spring. This torsion spring can be so adjusted as to have a given spring constant. Such variable stiffness torsion springs are extremely useful in gimballed payloads such as sensors, telescopes, and electronic devices on such platforms as a space shuttle or a space station.

Alhorn, Dean C.↗

Thermal Testing of Tow-Placed, Variable Stiffness Panels

Commercial systems for precise placement of pre-preg composite tows are enabling technology that allows fabrication of advanced composite structures in which the tows may be precisely laid down along curvilinear paths within a given ply. For laminates with curvilinear tow paths, the fiber orientation angle varies continuously throughout the laminate, and is not required to be straight and parallel in each ply as in conventional composite laminates. Hence, the stiffness properties vary as a function of location in the laminate, and the associated composite structure is called a "variable stiffness" composite structure.

Wu, K. Chauncey↗

Experimental Investigation of Composite Pressure Vessel Performance and Joint Stiffness for Pyramid and Inverted Pyramid Joints

The focus of this study is on the suitability in the application of classical laminate theory analysis tools for filament wound pressure vessels with adhesive laminated joints in particular: pressure vessel wall performance, joint stiffness and failure prediction. Two 18-inch diameter 12-ply filament wound pressure vessels were fabricated. One vessel was fabricated with a 24-ply pyramid laminated adhesive double strap butt joint. The second vessel was fabricated with the same number of plies in an inverted pyramid joint. Results from hydrostatic tests are presented. Experimental results were used as input to the computer programs GENLAM and Laminate, and the output compared to test. By using the axial stress resultant, the classical laminate theory results show a correlation within 1% to the experimental results in predicting the pressure vessel wall pressure performance. The prediction of joint stiffness for the two adhesive joints in the axial direction is within 1% of the experimental results. The calculated hoop direction joint stress resultant is 25% less than the measured resultant for both joint configurations. A correction factor is derived and used in the joint analysis. The correction factor is derived from the hoop stress resultant from the tank wall performance investigation. The vessel with the pyramid joint is determined to have failed in the joint area at a hydrostatic pressure 33% value below predicted failure. The vessel with the inverted pyramid joint failed in the wall acreage at a hydrostatic pressure within 10% of the actual failure pressure.

Verhage, Joseph M.↗

Transient Vibration Prediction for Rotors on Ball Bearings Using Load-dependent Non-linear Bearing Stiffness

Rolling-element bearing forces vary nonlinearly with bearing deflection. Thus an accurate rotordynamic transient analysis requires bearing forces to be determined at each step of the transient solution. Analyses have been carried out to show the effect of accurate bearing transient forces (accounting for non-linear speed and load dependent bearing stiffness) as compared to conventional use of average rolling-element bearing stiffness. Bearing forces were calculated by COBRA-AHS (Computer Optimized Ball and Roller Bearing Analysis - Advanced High Speed) and supplied to the rotordynamics code ARDS (Analysis of Rotor Dynamic Systems) for accurate simulation of rotor transient behavior. COBRA-AHS is a fast-running 5 degree-of-freedom computer code able to calculate high speed rolling-element bearing load-displacement data for radial and angular contact ball bearings and also for cylindrical and tapered roller beatings. Results show that use of nonlinear bearing characteristics is essential for accurate prediction of rotordynamic behavior.

Fleming, David P.↗

Wing Torsional Stiffness Tests of the Active Aeroelastic Wing F/A-18 Airplane

The left wing of the Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) F/A-18 airplane has been ground-load-tested to quantify its torsional stiffness. The test has been performed at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in November 1996, and again in April 2001 after a wing skin modification was performed. The primary objectives of these tests were to characterize the wing behavior before the first flight, and provide a before-and-after measurement of the torsional stiffness. Two streamwise load couples have been applied. The wing skin modification is shown to have more torsional flexibility than the original configuration has. Additionally, structural hysteresis is shown to be reduced by the skin modification. Data comparisons show good repeatability between the tests.

Lokos, William A.↗

Ethnic Differences in Bending Stiffness of the Ulna and Tibia

There is considerable information about the variations in bone mass associated with different opportunity to compare a mechanical property of bone in young college women of Caucasian, Hispanic and Asian descent who gave informed consent to participate in an exercise study. The subjects were sedentary, in good health, eumenorrheic, non-smokers and had body mass indices (BMI) less than 30. Measurements acquired were body weight, kg, and height, cm, calcaneal and wrist bone density, g/square cm (PIXI, Lunar GE) and bending stiffness (EI, Nm(exp 2)) in the ulna and tibia. E1 was determined non-invasively with an instrument called the Mechanical Response Tissue Analyzer (MRTA) that delivers a vibratory stimulus to the center of the ulna or tibia and analyzes the response curve based on the equation E1 = k(sub b) L(exp 3)/48 where k, is lateral bending stiffness, L is the length of the bone, E is Young's modulus of elasticity and I, the bending moment of inertia. The error of the test (CV) based on measurements of an aluminum rod with a known E1 was 4.8%, of calcaneal BMD, 0.54%, and of wrist bone density, 3.45%.

Arnaud, S. B.↗