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NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Results from Two Full-Scale Hawker 4000 Fuselage Drop Tests

In the spring of 2022, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) conducted two full-scale drop tests on a Hawker 4000 partial fuselage structure for the evaluation of composite material response under dynamic impact loading conditions. The specific objectives of the tests were to induce dynamic composite damage initiation and progression and in primary structure and to understand the nature of the failure modes. The tests were conducted via dividing the fuselage hardware into three smaller sections. Dynamic drop tests were conducted on the forward and aft portions of the fuselage under different dynamic loading conditions, while the middle section was reserved for materials testing. Both tests were conducted by dropping the test articles from a height of 14 feet with significant amounts of pitch, which was added to initiate damage in specific regions of the structure. The test articles were ballasted then instrumented with accelerometers at various locations and speckle-coated on both exterior sides with a black and white stochastic pattern for use with three-dimensional digital image correlation (3D-DIC). In addition, the interior belly portion of the forward section test article was also speckle-coated, which was intended to capture deformations on the belly of the test article from the interior at impact. The interior of the aft section test article was not speckle-coated. Prior to testing, bow-tie markers were applied at various locations for use in marker tracking, to measure impact conditions such as vertical impact velocity and pitch. In this report, a partial summary of the data collected from the tests is presented. The data was primarily in the form of accelerometers to measure impact acceleration and 3D-DIC to measure deformation and failure onset and propagation. Post-test inspections revealed the primary damage mechanism was fiber cracking and delamination primarily in and around the area that contacted the impact surface. Acceleration pulse shapesin the ballast locations were trapezoidal in nature and ranged between 10 g and 40 g, depending on the location and test.

full scale testing↗

NASA NTRS2016

Modeling Fatigue Damage Onset and Progression in Composites Using an Element-Based Virtual Crack Closure Technique Combined With the Floating Node Method

A new methodology is proposed to model the onset and propagation of matrix cracks and delaminations in carbon-epoxy composites subject to fatigue loading. An extended interface element, based on the Floating Node Method, is developed to represent delaminations and matrix cracks explicitly in a mesh independent fashion. Crack propagation is determined using an element-based Virtual Crack Closure Technique approach to determine mixed-mode energy release rates, and the Paris-Law relationship to obtain crack growth rate. Crack onset is determined using a stressbased onset criterion coupled with a stress vs. cycle curve and Palmgren-Miner rule to account for fatigue damage accumulation. The approach is implemented in Abaqus/Standard® via the user subroutine functionality. Verification exercises are performed to assess the accuracy and correct implementation of the approach. Finally, it was demonstrated that this approach captured the differences in failure morphology in fatigue for two laminates of identical stiffness, but with layups containing θdeg plies that were either stacked in a single group, or distributed through the laminate thickness.

De Carvalho, Nelson V.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Simulation of Delamination Under High Cycle Fatigue in Composite Materials Using Cohesive Models

A new thermodynamically consistent damage model is proposed for the simulation of high-cycle fatigue crack growth. The basis for the formulation is an interfacial degradation law that links Fracture Mechanics and Damage Mechanics to relate the evolution of the damage variable, d, with the crack growth rate da/dN. The damage state is a function of the loading conditions (R and (Delta)G) as well as the experimentally-determined crack growth rates for the material. The formulation ensures that the experimental results can be reproduced by the analysis without the need of additional adjustment parameters.

Camanho, Pedro P.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Curvilinear crack layer propagation

An account is given of an experiment designed to allow observation of the effect of damage orientation on the direction of crack growth in the case of crack layer propagation, using polystyrene as the model material. The direction of crack advance under a given loading condition is noted to be determined by a competition between the tendency of the crack to maintain its current direction and the tendency to follow the orientation of the crazes at its tip. The orientation of the crazes is, on the other hand, determined by the stress field due to the interaction of the crack, the crazes, and the hole. The changes in craze rotation relative to the crack define the active zone rotation.

Chudnovsky, Alexander↗

NASA NTRS1983

Measurement and analysis of critical crack tip processes associated with variable amplitude fatigue crack growth

Crack growth retardation following overloads can result in overly conservative life predictions in structures subjected to variable amplitude fatigue loading when linear damage accumulation procedures are employed. Crack closure is believed to control the crack growth retardation, although the specific closure mechanism is debatable. Information on the relative contributions to crack closure from: (1) plasticity left in the wake of the advancing crack and (2) crack tip residual stresses is provided. The delay period and corresponding crack growth rate transients following overloads are systematically measured as a function of load ratio (R) and overload magnitude. These responses are correlated in terms of the local 'driving force' for crack growth as measured by crack tip opening loads and delta K sub eff. The latter measurements are obtained using a scanning electron microscope equipped with a cyclic loading stage; measurements are quantified using a relatively new stereoimaging technique. Combining experimental results with analytical predictions suggests that both plastic wake and residual stress mechanism are operative, the latter becoming predominate as R increases.

Hudak, S. J., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Cyclic deformation, fatigue and fatigue crack propagation in Ni-base alloys

Ni-base superalloys' cumulative glide behavior, damage accumulation, low-cycle fatigue, and crack propagation characteristics are directly dependent on deformation behavior which is in turn a strong function of microstructural characteristics. Microstructural instabilities and environmental interactions become additional factors at elevated temperatures. An account is presently given of microstructural, chemical, and processing techniques that may be used to obtain the properties that appear most critical or desirable in specific applications.

Antolovich, Stephen D.↗

NASA NTRS2013

Damage Tolerance Assessment Branch

The Damage Tolerance Assessment Branch evaluates the ability of a structure to perform reliably throughout its service life in the presence of a defect, crack, or other form of damage. Such assessment is fundamental to the use of structural materials and requires an integral blend of materials engineering, fracture testing and analysis, and nondestructive evaluation. The vision of the Branch is to increase the safety of manned space flight by improving the fracture control and the associated nondestructive evaluation processes through development and application of standards, guidelines, advanced test and analytical methods. The Branch also strives to assist and solve non-aerospace related NDE and damage tolerance problems, providing consultation, prototyping and inspection services.

Walker, James L.↗

NASA NTRS1982

Equivalent damage: A critical assessment

Concepts in equivalent damage were evaluated to determine their applicability to the life prediction of hot path components of aircraft gas turbine engines. Equivalent damage was defined as being those effects which influence the crack initiation life-time beyond the damage that is measured in uniaxial, fully-reversed sinusoidal and isothermal experiments at low homologous temperatures. Three areas of equivalent damage were examined: mean stress, cumulative damage, and multiaxiality. For each area, a literature survey was conducted to aid in selecting the most appropriate theories. Where possible, data correlations were also used in the evaluation process. A set of criteria was developed for ranking the theories in each equivalent damage regime. These criteria considered aspects of engine utilization as well as the theoretical basis and correlative ability of each theory. In addition, consideration was given to the complex nature of the loading cycle at fatigue critical locations of hot path components; this loading includes non-proportional multiaxial stressing, combined temperature and strain fluctuations, and general creep-fatigue interactions. Through applications of selected equivalent damage theories to some suitable data sets it was found that there is insufficient data to allow specific recommendations of preferred theories for general applications. A series of experiments and areas of further investigations were identified.

Laflen, J. R.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Fatigue life extension

Potential fatigue rejuvenation processes were carried out on fatigue-damaged material both with and without observable surface-connected fatigue cracks. The fatigue life of fatigue-damaged MAR-M246(Hf)(DS), a directionally solidified nickel-base superalloy used in turbine airfoils, was extended by reheat treatment. The fatigue life of fatigue-cracked Inconel 718, a wrought nickel-base superalloy used in a wide variety of advanced rocket engine components, was extended by electron-beam welding to close off the surface-connected crack, followed by hot isostatic pressing and reheat treatment.

Matejczyk, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS2006

A Thermodynamically Consistent Damage Model for Advanced Composites

A continuum damage model for the prediction of damage onset and structural collapse of structures manufactured in fiber-reinforced plastic laminates is proposed. The principal damage mechanisms occurring in the longitudinal and transverse directions of a ply are represented by a damage tensor that is fixed in space. Crack closure under load reversal effects are taken into account using damage variables established as a function of the sign of the components of the stress tensor. Damage activation functions based on the LaRC04 failure criteria are used to predict the different damage mechanisms occurring at the ply level. The constitutive damage model is implemented in a finite element code. The objectivity of the numerical model is assured by regularizing the dissipated energy at a material point using Bazant's Crack Band Model. To verify the accuracy of the approach, analyses of coupon specimens were performed, and the numerical predictions were compared with experimental data.

Maimi, Pere↗

NASA NTRS1992

Application of fiber bridging models to fatigue crack growth in unidirectional titanium matrix composites

Several fiber bridging models were reviewed and applied to study the matrix fatigue crack growth behavior in center notched (0)(sub 8) SCS-6/Ti-15-3 and (0)(sub 4) SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V laminates. Observations revealed that fatigue damage consisted primarily of matrix cracks and fiber matrix interfacial failure in the (0)(sub 8) SCS-6/Ti-15-3 laminates. Fiber-matrix interface failure included fracture of the brittle reaction zone and cracking between the two carbon rich fiber coatings. Intact fibers in the wake of the matrix cracks reduce the stress intensity factor range. Thus, an applied stress intensity factor range is inappropriate to characterize matrix crack growth behavior. Fiber bridging models were used to determine the matrix stress intensity factor range in titanium metal matrix composites. In these models, the fibers in the wake of the crack are idealized as a closure pressure. An unknown constant frictional shear stress is assumed to act along the debond or slip length of the bridging fibers. The frictional shear stress was used as a curve fitting parameter to available data (crack growth data, crack opening displacement data, and debond length data). Large variations in the frictional shear stress required to fit the experimental data indicate that the fiber bridging models in their present form lack predictive capabilities. However, these models provide an efficient and relatively simple engineering method for conducting parametric studies of the matrix growth behavior based on constituent properties.

Bakuckas, J. G., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1989

Characterization of failure processes in tungsten copper composites under fatigue loading conditions

A fractographic and metallographic investigation was performed on specimens of a tungsten fiber reinforced copper matrix composite (9 vol percent), which had experienced fatigue failures at elevated temperatures. Major failure modes and possible failure mechanisms, with an emphasis placed on characterizing fatigue damage accumulation, were determined. Metallography of specimens fatigued under isothermal cyclic loading suggested that fatigue damage initiates in the matrix. Cracks nucleated within the copper matrix at grain boundaries, and they propagated through cavity coalescence. The growing cracks subsequently interacted with the reinforcing tungsten fibers, producing a localized ductile fiber failure. Examinations of interrupted tests before final failure confirmed the suggested fatigue damage processes.

Kim, Yong-Suk↗

NASA NTRS1972

Comparison of experimental and theoretical thermal fatigue lives for five nickel base alloys

The alloys Nimonic 90, IN 100, coated IN 100, B 1900, coated B 1900, MAR M200, and MAR M200DS (directionally solidified) were studied. Maximum temperatures ranged from 770 C to 1120 C (1420 F to 2050 F). Specimen geometries included tapered disks, double-edged wedges, and cambered airfoils. The disks and wedges were heated and cooled in fluidized beds. The airfoil specimens were heated by a Mach 1 natural gas burner and rapid-air-cooled, with and without spanwise loading. Life calculations included two distinct failure modes: conventional low cycle fatigue and cyclic creep. Required material properties were limited to conventional thermal, tensile, and creep rupture data. The complete life calculation system included the calculation of transient temperature distributions, thermal strains, stresses, creep damage, fatigue damage, and cycles to first crack. Calculated lives were within a factor of two for 76 of the 86 data points analyzed. Cyclic creep accounted for 81% of all the calculated damage.

Spera, D. A.↗

NASA NTRS1981

An assessment of buffer strips for improving damage tolerance of composite laminates at elevated temperature

Buffer strips greatly improve the damage tolerance of graphite/epoxy laminates loaded in tension. Graphite/polyimide buffer strip panels were made and tested to determine their residual strength at ambient and elevated (177 C) temperature. Each panel was cut in the center to represent damage. Panels were radiographed and crack-opening displacements were recorded to indicate fracture, fracture arrest, and the extent of damage in the buffer strip after arrest. All panels had the same buffer strip spacing and width. The buffer strip material was 0 deg S-glass/PMR-15. The buffer strips were made by replacing narrow strips of the 0 deg graphite plies with strips of the 0 deg S-glass on either a one-for-one or a two-for-one basis. Half of the panels were heated to 177 + or - 3 C before and during the testing. Elevated temperature did not alter the fracture behavior of the buffer configuration.

Bigelow, C. A.↗

NASA NTRS2017

Simulated Space Environment Effects on a Candidate Solar Sail Material

For long duration missions of solar sails, the sail material needs to survive harsh space environments and the degradation of the sail material controls operational lifetime. Therefore, understanding the effects of the space environment on the sail membrane is essential for mission success. In this study, we investigated the effect of simulated space environment effects of ionizing radiation, thermal aging and simulated potential damage on mechanical, thermal and optical properties of a commercial off the shelf (COTS) polyester solar sail membrane to assess the degradation mechanisms on a feasible solar sail. The solar sail membrane was exposed to high energy electrons (about 70 keV and 10 nA/cm2), and the physical properties were characterized. After about 8.3 Grad dose, the tensile modulus, tensile strength and failure strain of the sail membrane decreased by about 20 ~ 95%. The aluminum reflective layer was damaged and partially delaminated but it did not show any significant change in solar absorbance or thermal emittance. The effect on mechanical properties of a pre-cracked sample, simulating potential impact damage of the sail membrane, as well as thermal aging effects on metallized PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) film will be discussed.

Kang, Jin Ho↗

NASA NTRS1985

Application of two creep fatigue life models for the prediction of elevated temperature crack initiation of a nickel base alloy

Cyclic Damage Accumulation (CDA) and Total Strain-Strain Range Partitioning (TS-SRP) models for predicting the creep-fatigue crack initiation life of high temperature alloys are presented. The models differ in their fundamental assumptions regarding the controlling parameters for fatigue crack initiation and in the amount of data required to determine model constants. The CDA model represents a ductility exhaustion approach and uses stress quantities to calculate the cyclic fatigue damage. The TS-SRP model is based on the use of total mechanical strain and earlier concepts of the Strain Range Partitioning Method. Both models were applied to a well controlled fatigue data set at a high temperature nickel base alloy, B1900 + Hf, tested at 1600 F and 1800 F. The tests were divided into a baseline data set required to determine model constants and a verification data set for evaluation of the predictive capability of the models. Both models correlated the baseline data set to within factors of two in life, and predicted the verification data set to within a factor of three or better. In addition, sample calculations to demonstrate the application of each model and discusions of the predictive capabilities and areas requiring further development are presented.

Moreno, V.↗

NASA NTRS2000

The Significance of Small Cracks in Fatigue Design Concepts as Related to Rotorcraft Metallic Dynamic Components

In this paper the significance of the "small" crack effect as defined in fracture mechanics will be discussed as it relates to life managing rotorcraft dynamic components using the conventional safe-life, the flaw tolerant safe-life, and the damage tolerance design philosophies. These topics will be introduced starting with an explanation of the small-crack theory, then showing how small-crack theory has been used to predict the total fatigue life of fatigue laboratory test coupons with and without flaws, and concluding with how small cracks can affect the crack-growth damage tolerance design philosophy. As stated in this paper the "small" crack effect is defined in fracture mechanics where it has been observed that cracks on the order of 300 microns or less in length will propagate at higher growth rates than long cracks and also will grow at AK values below the long crack AK threshold. The small-crack effect is illustrated herein as resulting from a lack of crack closure and is explained based on continuum mechanics principles using crack-closure concepts in fracture mechanics.

Everett, R. A., Jr.↗

NASA NTRS1985

Influence of interface ply orientation on fatigue damage of adhesively bonded composite joints

An experimental study of cracked-lap-shear specimens was conducted to determine the influence of adherend stacking sequence on debond initiation and damage growth in a composite-to-composite bonded joint. Specimens consisted of quasi-isotropic graphite/epoxy adherends bonded together with either FM-300 or EC 3445 adhesives. The stacking sequence of the adherends was varied such that 0 deg, 45 deg, or 90 deg plies were present at the adherend-adhesive interfaces. Fatigue damage initiated in the adhesive layer in those specimens with 0 deg nd 45 deg interface plies. Damage initiated in the form of ply cracking in the strap adherend for the specimens with 90 deg interface plies. The fatigue-damage growth was in the form of delamination within the composite adherends for specimens with the 90 deg and 45 deg plies next to the adhesive, while debonding in the adhesive resulted for the specimens with 0 deg plies next to the adhesive. Those joints with the 0 deg and 45 deg plies next to either adhesive has essentially the same fatigue-damage-initiation stress levels. These stress levels were 13 and 71 percent higher, respectively, than those for specimens with 90 deg plies next to the EC 3445 and FM-300 adhesives.

Johnson, W. S.↗