The Boeing 747 fatigue integrity program

Abstract

The fatigue integrity program which was established to insure economic operations and to provide foundation data for inspection and maintenance is discussed. Significant features of the 747 fatigue integrity program are: (1) fatigue analyses which are continually updated to reflect design changes, fatigue test results, and static and flight load survey measurements; (2) material selection and detail design by using initial fatigue analyses, service experience, and testing; and (3) fatigue testing to check detail design quality and to verify the analyses, culminated by the test of a structurally complete airframe. Fatigue stress analyses were performed with the aid of experimental as well as analytical procedures. Extensive application was made of the stress severity factor, developed at Boeing, for evaluating peak stresses in complex joints. A frame of reference was established by families of structural fatigue performance curves (S-N curves) encompassing the range of materials and fatigue qualities anticipated for the 747 airplane design.