Two practical engineering approaches to assess the structural integrity of aircraft fuselages are presented. Both approaches combine fracture mechanics with thin-shell finite element analyses to predict structural responses quantitatively. The first approach uses the crack-tip opening angle fracture criterion to predict residual strength of KC-135 fuselages. The second approach uses T-stress and fracture toughness orthotropy to predict crack-growth trajectory in narrow-body fuselages. For residual strength prediction 12 damage scenarios, which might occur in applications, are examined. It is found that the model with small multiple-site cracking and material thinning caused by corrosion damage has the worst load-carrying capacity. For curvilinear crack-growth simulation a directional criterion based on the maximum tangential stress theory accounting for the effect of T-stress and fracture toughness orthotropy is used to predict crack-growth trajectory. Both T-stress and fracture toughness orthotropy are found to be essential to predict the observed crack path. where the trajectory experiences crack turning and flapping phenomena.


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    Title :

    Prediction of residual strength and curvilinear crack growth in aircraft fuselages


    Additional title:

    Berechnung der Restfestigkeit und der krummlinigen Rißausbreitung in Flugzeugrümpfen


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    AIAA Journal ; 40 , 8 ; 1644-1652


    Publication date :

    2002


    Size :

    9 Seiten, 27 Bilder, 33 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English