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At least 235 records · Page 13

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NASA NTRS1989

Investigation of structural behavior of candidate Space Station structure

Quantitative evaluations of the structural loads, stiffness and deflections of an example Space Station truss due to a variety of influences, including manufacturing tolerances, assembly operations, and operational loading are reported. The example truss is a dual-keel design composed of 5-meter-cube modules. The truss is 21 modules high and 9 modules wide, with a transverse beam 15 modules long. One problem of concern is the amount of mismatch which will be expected when the truss is being erected on orbit. Worst-case thermal loading results in less than 0.5 inch of mismatch. The stiffness of the interface is shown to be less than 100 pounds per inch. Thus, only moderate loads will be required to overcome the mismatch. The problem of manufacturing imperfections is analyzed by the Monte Carlo approach. Deformations and internal loads are obtained for ensembles of 100 example trusses. All analyses are performed on a personal computer. The necessary routines required to supplement commercially available programs are described.

Hedgepeth, John M.↗

NASA NTRS1971

Self-correcting incremental approach in nonlinear structural mechanics.

A self-correcting, incremental-solution procedure has been developed which seems to be promising in solving geometrically highly nonlinear problems. The procedure is also applicable to systems with many degrees of freedom where the bandwidth of the stiffness matrix is large compared with the narrow bandwidth for the shell of revolution.

Massett, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

Effect of elastic end rings on the eigenfrequencies of thin cylinders

The effect of elastic end rings on the eigenfrequencies of thin cylindrical shells is studied by using an exact solution of the linear eigenvalue problem. The out-of-plane and torsional rigidities of the rings are responsible for the overall shell stiffness. Considerable mode interaction exists for modes with low circumferential wave numbers when the mass of the ring is comparable with that of the shell. The hypothetical simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are practically impossible to realize with a finite-mass ring for relatively short and thin shells.

El Raheb, M.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Characterization of Polyimide Matrix Resins and Prepregs

Graphite/polyimide composite materials are attractive candidates for a wide range of aerospace applications. They have many of the virtues of graphite/epoxies, i.e., high specific strengths and stiffness, and also outstanding thermal/oxidative stability. Yet they are not widely used in the aerospace industry due to problems of procesability. By their nature, modern addition polyimide (PI) resins and prepregs are more complex than epoxies; the key to processing lies in characterizing and understanding the materials. Chemical and rheological characterizations are carried out on several addition polyimide resins and graphite reinforced prepregs, including those based on PMR-15, LARC 160 (AP 22), LARC 160 (Curithane 103) and V378A. The use of a high range torque transducer with a Rheometrics mechanical spectrometer allows rheological data to be generated on prepreg materials as well as neat resins. The use of prepreg samples instead of neat resins eliminates the need for preimidization of the samples and the data correlates well with processing behavior found in the shop. Rheological characterization of the resins and prepregs finds significant differences not readily detected by conventional chemical characterization techniques.

Maximovich, M. G.↗

NASA NTRS1991

Progress with multigrid schemes for hypersonic flow problems

Several multigrid schemes are considered for the numerical computation of viscous hypersonic flows. For each scheme, the basic solution algorithm uses upwind spatial discretization with explicit multistage time stepping. Two level versions of the various multigrid algorithms are applied to the two dimensional advection equation, and Fourier analysis is used to determine their damping properties. The capabilities of the multigrid methods are assessed by solving three different hypersonic flow problems. Some new multigrid schemes based on semicoarsening strategies are shown to be quite effective in relieving the stiffness caused by the high aspect ratio cells required to resolve high Reynolds number flows. These schemes exhibit good convergence rates for Reynolds numbers up to 200 x 10(exp 6) and Mach numbers up to 25.

Radespiel, R.↗

NASA NTRS1993

Multigrid schemes for viscous hypersonic flows

Several multigrid schemes are considered for the numerical computation of viscous hypersonic flows. For each scheme, the basic solution algorithm employs upwind spatial discretization with explicit multistage time stepping. Two-level versions of the various multigrid algorithms are applied to the two-dimensional advection equation, and Fourier analysis is used to determine their damping properties. The capabilities of the multigrid methods are assessed by solving two different hypersonic flow problems. Some new multigrid schemes, based on semicoarsening strategies, are shown to be quite effective in relieving the stiffness caused by the high-aspect-ratio cells required to resolve high Reynolds number flows. These schemes exhibit good convergence rates for Reynolds numbers up to 200 x 10(exp 6).

Swanson, R. C.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Optimization of Residual Stresses in MMC's Using Compensating/Compliant Interfacial Layers. Part 2: OPTCOMP User's Guide

A user's guide for the computer program OPTCOMP is presented in this report. This program provides a capability to optimize the fabrication or service-induced residual stresses in uni-directional metal matrix composites subjected to combined thermo-mechanical axisymmetric loading using compensating or compliant layers at the fiber/matrix interface. The user specifies the architecture and the initial material parameters of the interfacial region, which can be either elastic or elastoplastic, and defines the design variables, together with the objective function, the associated constraints and the loading history through a user-friendly data input interface. The optimization procedure is based on an efficient solution methodology for the elastoplastic response of an arbitrarily layered multiple concentric cylinder model that is coupled to the commercial optimization package DOT. The solution methodology for the arbitrarily layered cylinder is based on the local-global stiffness matrix formulation and Mendelson's iterative technique of successive elastic solutions developed for elastoplastic boundary-value problems. The optimization algorithm employed in DOT is based on the method of feasible directions.

Pindera, Marek-Jerzy↗

NASA NTRS2009

Updating the Finite Element Model of the Aerostructures Test Wing using Ground Vibration Test Data

Improved and/or accelerated decision making is a crucial step during flutter certification processes. Unfortunately, most finite element structural dynamics models have uncertainties associated with model validity. Tuning the finite element model using measured data to minimize the model uncertainties is a challenging task in the area of structural dynamics. The model tuning process requires not only satisfactory correlations between analytical and experimental results, but also the retention of the mass and stiffness properties of the structures. Minimizing the difference between analytical and experimental results is a type of optimization problem. By utilizing the multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) tool in order to optimize the objective function and constraints; the mass properties, the natural frequencies, and the mode shapes can be matched to the target data to retain the mass matrix orthogonality. This approach has been applied to minimize the model uncertainties for the structural dynamics model of the Aerostructures Test Wing (ATW), which was designed and tested at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC) (Edwards, California). This study has shown that natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes from the updated finite element model have excellent agreement with corresponding measured data.

Lung, Shun-fat↗

NASA NTRS2009

Updating the Finite Element Model of the Aerostructures Test Wing Using Ground Vibration Test Data

Improved and/or accelerated decision making is a crucial step during flutter certification processes. Unfortunately, most finite element structural dynamics models have uncertainties associated with model validity. Tuning the finite element model using measured data to minimize the model uncertainties is a challenging task in the area of structural dynamics. The model tuning process requires not only satisfactory correlations between analytical and experimental results, but also the retention of the mass and stiffness properties of the structures. Minimizing the difference between analytical and experimental results is a type of optimization problem. By utilizing the multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) tool in order to optimize the objective function and constraints; the mass properties, the natural frequencies, and the mode shapes can be matched to the target data to retain the mass matrix orthogonality. This approach has been applied to minimize the model uncertainties for the structural dynamics model of the aerostructures test wing (ATW), which was designed and tested at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Dryden Flight Research Center (Edwards, California). This study has shown that natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes from the updated finite element model have excellent agreement with corresponding measured data.

Lung, Shun-Fat↗

NASA NTRS1986

Identification of differences between finite element analysis and experimental vibration data

An important problem that has emerged from combined analytical/experimental investigations is the task of identifying and quantifying the differences between results predicted by F.E. analysis and results obtained from experiment. The objective of this study is to extend and evaluate the procedure developed by Sidhu for correlation of linear F.E. and modal test data to include structures with viscous damping. The desirability of developing this procedure is that the differences are identified in terms of physical mass, damping, and stiffness parameters instead of in terms of frequencies and modes shapes. Since the differences are computed in terms of physical parameters, locations of modeling problems can be directly identified in the F.E. model. From simulated data it was determined that the accuracy of the computed differences increases as the number of experimentally measured modes included in the calculations is increased. When the number of experimental modes is at least equal to the number of translational degrees of freedom in the F.E. model both the location and magnitude of the differences can be computed very accurately. When the number of modes is less than this amount the location of the differences may be determined even though their magnitudes will be under estimated.

Lawrence, C.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Identification of differences between finite element analysis and experimental vibration data

Lawrence, Charles↗

NASA NTRS1977

A subcutaneous channeling probe for implanting long leads

The channeling probe described in the present paper was designed to overcome surgical problems of the type that were encountered when a multichannel radio transmitter had to be implanted in a cow. The probe was made of a flexible but sufficiently stiff 9.5-mm-diam nylon rod, consisting of 46-cm sections for convenience in sterilization and surgical handling. Stainless steel sleaves reinforced the threaded connecting joints. At one end, arrowhead-shaped channeling heads could be attached to produce wide channels for large sensors. The other end was tapered for narrow channels. Postoperative problems were not encountered in the use of this probe in cows, sheep, and dogs.

Lund, G. F.↗

NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Error Localization Examples: Looking for a Needle in a Haystack

Finite element models (FEM) are routinely developed and used during fabrication of high dollar-value hardware. NASA, as part of the pre-flight certification of launch vehicles, routinely conducts vibration and static tests to calibrate models used for flight-risk assessments. During model calibration, certain areas of the model are modified, using engineering judgment and sensitivity analysis, to match the test results. Unfortunately, tools to identify problem areas in the FEM using test data directly are scarce and infrequently applied. Over the years, error localization algorithms have been proposed with very limited success. Recently, the Analytical Dynamics Model Improvement (ADMI) algorithm, which computes closed-form mass and stiffness corrections to match the test data exactly, have been shown to be an effective Error Localization Algorithm (ELA). The paper discusses three examples where ELA is used with simulated test data to locate problem areas. To gain confidence in the approach, the exact answer is shown along with ELA results. Results show that ELA is able to identify general problem areas consistent with known problem areas. In all examples, the ELA identified area is larger than the exact problem area. Nonetheless, with proper optimization tools, calibration results using the ELA identified areas provide excellent results.

model calibration↗

NASA NTRS1975

A method for the dynamic and thermal stress analysis of space shuttle surface insulation

The thermal protection system of the space shuttle consists of thousands of separate insulation tiles bonded to the orbiter's surface through a soft strain-isolation layer. The individual tiles are relatively thick and possess nonuniform properties. Therefore, each is idealized by finite-element assemblages containing up to 2500 degrees of freedom. Since the tiles affixed to a given structural panel will, in general, interact with one another, application of the standard direct-stiffness method would require equation systems involving excessive numbers of unknowns. This paper presents a method which overcomes this problem through an efficient iterative procedure which requires treatment of only a single tile at any given time. Results of associated static, dynamic, and thermal stress analyses and sufficient conditions for convergence of the iterative solution method are given.

Ojalvo, I. U.↗

NASA NTRS1975

Development and applications of two computational procedures for determining the vibration modes of structural systems

Two computational procedures for analyzing complex structural systems for their natural modes and frequencies of vibration are presented. Both procedures are based on a substructures methodology and both employ the finite-element stiffness method to model the constituent substructures. The first procedure is a direct method based on solving the eigenvalue problem associated with a finite-element representation of the complete structure. The second procedure is a component-mode synthesis scheme in which the vibration modes of the complete structure are synthesized from modes of substructures into which the structure is divided. The analytical basis of the methods contains a combination of features which enhance the generality of the procedures. The computational procedures exhibit a unique utilitarian character with respect to the versatility, computational convenience, and ease of computer implementation. The computational procedures were implemented in two special-purpose computer programs. The results of the application of these programs to several structural configurations are shown and comparisons are made with experiment.

Kvaternik, R. G.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Significance of Strain in Formulation in Theory of Solid Mechanics

The basic theory of solid mechanics was deemed complete circa 1860 when St. Venant provided the strain formulation or the field compatibility condition. The strain formulation was incomplete. The missing portion has been formulated and identified as the boundary compatibility condition (BCC). The BCC, derived through a variational formulation, has been verified through integral theorem and solution of problems. The BCC, unlike the field counterpart, do not trivialize when expressed in displacements. Navier s method and the stiffness formulation have to account for the extra conditions especially at the inter-element boundaries in a finite element model. Completion of the strain formulation has led to the revival of the direct force calculation methods: the Integrated Force Method (IFM) and its dual (IFMD) for finite element analysis, and the completed Beltrami-Michell formulation (CBMF) in elasticity. The benefits from the new methods in elasticity, in finite element analysis, and in design optimization are discussed. Existing solutions and computer codes may have to be adjusted for the compliance of the new conditions. Complacency because the discipline is over a century old and computer codes have been developed for half a century can lead to stagnation of the discipline.

Patnaik, Surya N.↗

NASA NTRS2012

Conditions for Symmetries in the Buckle Patterns of Laminated-Composite Plates

Conditions for the existence of certain symmetries to exist in the buckle patterns of symmetrically laminated composite plates are presented. The plates considered have a general planform with cutouts, variable thickness and stiffnesses, and general support and loading conditions. The symmetry analysis is based on enforcing invariance of the corresponding eigenvalue problem for a group of coordinate transformations associated with buckle patterns commonly exhibited by symmetrically laminated plates. The buckle-pattern symmetries examined include a central point of inversion symmetry, one plane of reflective symmetry, and two planes of reflective symmetry.

Nemeth, Michael P.↗

NASA NTRS2002

The Use of Doublers in Delamination Toughness Testing

In this paper, the data reduction equations for common delamination toughness tests are rederived for use with specimens which have bonded doublers. The common toughness tests considered here are the double cantilever beam (DCB) for mode I toughness; the end notch flexure (3ENF) and 4 point ENF (4ENF) for mode II toughness; and the mixed mode bending (MMB) test for testing under combined mode I and mode II loading. Because the addition of the doublers changes the bending stiffness of the specimens, these data reduction equations may need to be corrected. Doublers were added to the delamination test specimens to solve a premature failure problem. Delamination toughness is normally tested using a beam with an imbedded insert so that one end of the specimen is split into two arms. If the specimen is too thin, or if the toughness of the material is too high, an arm of the specimen may fail in bending before the delamination grows. When this occurs, the toughness of the material cannot be determined. To delay the bending failure so that delamination growth occurs, doubler plates were bonded to both top and bottom surfaces of the specimen. A doubler parameter, beta, which describes how much the use of doubler plates changed the ratio of full thickness to delaminated bending stiffnesses, was defined. When changes to the data reduction equations were required, the changes were minor when written in terms of the beta parameter. The doubler plate technique was demonstrated by measuring the mixed-mode fracture toughness of a carbon-carbon composite using test specimens which would otherwise have failed before delamination growth occurred. The doubler plate technique may solve several problems that can be encountered when testing delamination fracture toughness.

Reeder, James R.↗