Title: Important considerations in commercial aircraft damage tolerance

Authors: T. Swift

Addresses: National Resource Specialist, Fracture Mechanics/Metallurgy, Federal Aviation Administration, USA

Abstract: An analytical method is presented in this paper for the damage tolerance evaluation of adhesively bonded aircraft structures using advanced computer technology. The method, based on a displacement compatibility approach using complex variable analysis, considers elastic-plastic shear displacement characteristics of the adhesive. The effects of adhesive delamination are accounted for together with stiffener yielding. The method developed illustrates that three layers of stiffening elements and three layers of adhesive can easily be accounted for analytically. It is possible to simulate yielding in any element of the stiffener and adhesive systems independently of each other. Delamination in any or all of the adhesive layers can be simulated independently. Two complex stiffening geometries are included to illustrate the effects of adhesive yielding and delamination on the crack tip stress intensity factor in cracked panels. It an be seen from the results that adhesive yielding and delamination are important considerations.

Keywords: damage tolerance; stiffened panels; adhesive bonding; crack tip stress intensity factor; plasticity; delamination; commercial aircraft; aircraft structures.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.1986.061152

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 1986 Vol.7 No.3/4, pp.264 - 287

Published online: 25 May 2014 *

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