SHM TB30, Numerical Study of an Aircraft Structural Condition

Le résumé fourni par la source

The purpose of this paper is the estimation of the Fatigue Lifetime of the Portuguese Air Force’s Epsilon TB-30 aircraft, by strain analysis on critical components of the aircraft. The experimental studies and knowledge of aircraft loads was used to reverse engineer a suitable Finite Element Model of the structure, from which the stress fields in previously identified structural hotspots were retrieved. Cumulative damage on the structure is calculated for reference loading spectra using the Palgrem-Miner rule and suitable fatigue criteria. The Stress Intensity Factors at the critical component’s notched geometry were estimated using two different approaches: the Finite Element and Extended Finite Element Methods from ABAQUS © . Crack propagation was then modelled using several laws (Paris, Walker, NASGRO, Forman). A comparison between the two numerical methods and the results of the several propagation laws are presented. Parameters for the various equations for AA 2024-T3 are obtained through the fitting of prior experimental data. Lastly, it was suggested new scheduling of maintenance activities to adjust the manufacturer’s spectrum results to the loading conditions of the aircraft.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.