Title: Fuselage metal fatigue in large commercial aircraft

Authors: G. Bibel

Addresses: University of North Dakota, 243 Centennial Drive Stop 8359, Grand Forks, ND 58201, USA

Abstract: Details of a recent aircraft fuselage metal fatigue forensic analysis are presented. Different methods for determining total fatigue cycles are given and compared. The results of this investigation are placed in context with respect to all known catastrophic fatigue failures of commercial aircraft fuselages in the modern era.

Keywords: metal fatigue; commercial aircraft; fatigue striations; aircraft structures; aircraft fuselage; forensic analysis; total fatigue cycles; forensic engineering; catastrophic failure; structural failure.

DOI: 10.1504/IJFE.2012.047446

International Journal of Forensic Engineering, 2012 Vol.1 No.1, pp.47 - 57

Published online: 29 Nov 2014 *

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