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At least 325 records · Page 18

Landing impact studies of a 0.3-scale model air cushion landing system for a Navy fighter airplane

An experimental study was conducted in order to determine the landing-impact behavior of a 0.3-scale, dynamically (but not physically) similar model of a high-density Navy fighter equipped with an air cushion landing system. The model was tested over a range of landing contact attitudes at high forward speeds and sink rates on a specialized test fixture at the Langley aircraft landing loads and traction facility. The investigation indicated that vertical acceleration at landing impact was highly dependent on the pitch angle at ground contact, the higher acceleration of approximately 5g occurring near zero body-pitch attitude. A limited number of low-speed taxi tests were made in order to determine model stability characteristics. The model was found to have good pitch-damping characteristics but stability in roll was marginal.

Leland, T. J. W.↗

Analysis of an arched outer-race ball bearing considering centrifugal forces

A Newton-Raphson method of iteration was used in evaluating the radial and axial projection of the distance between the ball center and the outer raceway groove curvature center (V and W). Fatigue life evaluations were made. The similar analysis of a conventional bearing can be directly obtained from the arched bearing analysis by simply letting the amount of arching be zero (g = 0) and not considering equations related to the unloaded half of the outer race. The analysis was applied to a 150-mm angular contact ball bearing. Results for life, contact loads, and angles are shown for a conventional bearing (g = 0) and two arched bearings (g = 0.127 mm (0.005 in.), and 0.254 mm (0.010 in.)). The results indicate that an arched bearing is highly desirable for high speed applications. In particular, for a DN value of 3 million (20,000 rpm) and an applied axial load of 4448 N (1000 lb), an arched bearing shows an improvement in life of 306 percent over that of a conventional bearing. At 4.2 million DN (28,000 rpm), the corresponding improvement is 340 percent. It was also found for low speeds, the arched bearing does not offer the advantages that it does for high speed applications.

Hamrock, B. J.↗

Analysis of an arched outer-race ball bearing considering centrifugal forces.

Thrust-load analysis of a 150-mm angular contact ball bearing, taking into account centrifugal forces but omitting gyroscopics, elastohydrodynamics, and thermal effects. A Newton-Raphson method of iteration is used to evaluate the radial and axial projection of the distance between the ball center and the outer raceway groove curvature center. Fatigue life of the bearing is evaluated. Results for life, contact loads, and angles are given for a conventional bearing and two arched bearings.

Hamrock, B. J.↗

Steady thermocapillary flows in two-dimensional slots

Liquid in a slot flows owing to a temperature gradient applied along its free surface. The thermal variation of surface tension induces a steady viscous flow directed on the surface from hot to cold, and recirculating below. For small aspect ratios A, giving flow in thin, two-dimensional slots, an asymptotic theory valid for A yields to 0 is used to obtain the fluid and thermal fields as well as the interfacial shapes. Solutions are obtained for both fixed lines and fixed angles at the contact between the interface and the solid side walls.

Sen, A. K.↗

Wire perturbations in the Staffman-Taylor problem

Zocchi et al. (1987) discovered that when two wires are symmetrically placed along the center of a Hele-Shaw cell, symmetric but narrow fingers of dimensionless width lambda less than 0.5 develop. The value of lambda decreases as the pushing velocity increases, but at a certain critical finger width the finger suddenly undergoes a transition to the asymmetrical state. A simple theory to predict this critical finger width as a function of D, the dimensionless distance between two wires is developed by assuming that the finger opens up a negative angle at the contact point.

Hong, D. C.↗

Device for measuring hole elongation in a bolted joint

A device to determine the operable failure mode of mechanically fastened lightweight composite joints by measuring the hole elongation of a bolted joint is disclosed. The double-lap joint test apparatus comprises a stud, a test specimen having a hole, two load transfer plates, and linear displacement measuring instruments. The test specimen is sandwiched between the two load transfer plates and clamped together with the stud. Spacer washers are placed between the test specimen and each load transfer plate to provide a known, controllable area for the determination of clamping forces around the hole of the specimen attributable to bolt torque. The spacer washers also provide a gap for the mounting of reference angles on each side of the test specimen. Under tensile loading, elongation of the hole of the test specimen causes the stud to move away from the reference angles. This displacement is measured by the voltage output of two linear displacement measuring instruments that are attached to the stud and remain in contact with the reference angles throughout the tensile loading. The present invention obviates previous problems in obtaining specimen deformation measurements by monitoring the reference angles to the test specimen and the linear displacement measuring instruments to the stud.

Wichorek, Gregory R.↗

Carbon nanotube Schottky diodes using Ti-Schottky and Pt-ohmic contacts for high frequency applications

We have demonstrated Schottky diodes using semiconducting single-walled nanotubes (s-SWNTs) with titanium Schottky and platinum Ohmic contacts for high-frequency applications. The diodes are fabricated using angled evaporation of dissimilar metal contacts over an s-SWNT. The devices demonstrate rectifying behavior with large reverse bias breakdown voltages of greater than 15 V. To decrease the series resistance, multiple SWNTs are grown in parallel in a single device, and the metallic tubes are burnt-out selectively. At low biases these diodes showed ideality factors in the range of 1.5 to 1.9. Modeling of these diodes as direct detectors at room temperature at 2.5 terahertz (THz) frequency indicates noise equivalent powers (NEP) potentially comparable to that of the state-of-the-art gallium arsenide solid-state Schottky diodes, in the range of 10-13 W(square root)xHz.

semiconducting↗

Welding nozzle position manipulator

The present invention is directed to a welding nozzle position manipulator. The manipulator consists of an angle support to which the remaining components of the device are attached either directly or indirectly. A pair of pivotal connections attach a weld nozzle holding link to the angle support and provide a two axis freedom of movement of the holding link with respect to the support angle. The manipulator is actuated by a pair of adjusting screws angularly mounted to the angle support. These screws contact a pair of tapered friction surfaces formed on the upper portion of the welding nozzle holding link. A spring positioned between the upper portions of the support angle and the holding link provides a constant bias engagement between the friction surfaces of the holding link and the adjustment screws, so as to firmly hold the link in position and to eliminate any free play in the adjustment mechanism. The angular relationships between the adjustment screws, the angle support and the tapered friction surfaces of the weld nozzle holding link provide a geometric arrangement which permits precision adjustment of the holding link with respect to the angle support and also provides a solid holding link mount which is resistant to movement from outside forces.

Gilbert, Jeffrey L.↗

Pressure regimes and core formation in the accreting earth

Recent work suggests that a large degree of melting is required to segregate metal from silicates, suggesting a connection with the formation of magma oceans. At low pressures metallic liquids do not wet silicate minerals, preventing the metal from aggregating into large masses that can sink. At high pressures, above 25 GPa, the dihedral angles of grains in contact with oxygen-rich metallic liquids may be reduced enough to allow percolation of metal, but this has not been confirmed. Physical models of core formation and accretion may therefore involve the formation of magma oceans and the segregation of metal at both high and low pressures. Models of core formation involving different pressure regimes are discussed as well as chemical evidence bearing on the models. Available geophysical data is ambiguous. The nature of the 670 km boundary (chemical difference or strictly phase change) between the upper and lower mantle is in doubt. There is some evidence that plumes are derived from the lower mantle, and seismic tomography strongly indicates that penetration of subducting oceanic crust into the lower mantle, but the tomography data also indicates that the 670 km discontinuity is a significant barrier to general mantle convection. The presence of the D' layer at the base of the lower mantle could be a reaction zone between the mantle and core indicating core-mantle disequilibrium, or D' layer could be subducted material. The abundance of the siderophile elements in the mantle could provide clues to the importance of high pressure processes in Earth, but partition coefficients at high pressures are only beginning to be measured.

Newsom, H. E.↗

An Investigation of Landing-Contact Conditions for Two Large Turbojet Transports and a Turboprop Transport During Routine Daylight Operations

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has recently completed a statistical investigation of landing-contact conditions for two large turbojet transports and a turboprop transport landing on a dry runway during routine daylight operations at the Los Angeles International Airport. Measurements were made to obtain vertical velocity, airspeed, rolling velocity, bank angle, and distance from the runway threshold, just prior to ground contact. The vertical velocities at touchdown for one of the turbojet airplanes measured in this investigation were essentially the same as those measured on the same type of airplane during a similar investigation (see NASA Technical Note D-527) conducted approximately 8 months earlier. Thus, it appeared that 8 months of additional pilot experience has had no noticeable tendency toward lowering the vertical velocities of this transport. Distributions of vertical velocities for the turbojet transports covered in this investigation were similar and considerably higher than'those for the turboprop transport. The data for the turboprop transport were in good agreement with the data for the piston-engine transports (see NACA Report 1214 and NASA Technical Note D-147) for all the measured parameters. For the turbojet transports, 1 landing in 100 would be expected to equal or exceed a vertical velocity of approximately 4.2 ft/sec; whereas, for the turboprop transport, 1 landing in 100 would be expected to equal or exceed 3.2 ft/sec. The mean airspeeds at touchdown for the three transports ranged from 22.5 percent to 26.6 percent above the stalling speed. Rolling velocities for the turbojet transports were considerably higher than those for the turboprop transport. Distributions of bank angles at contact for the three transports were similar. For each type of airplane, 1 landing in 100 would be expected to equal or exceed a bank angle at touchdown of approximately 3.0 deg. Distributions of touchdown distances for the three transports were also quite similar. Touchdown distances from the threshold for 1 landing in 100 ranged from 2,500 feet for the turboprop transport to 2,800 feet for one of the turbojet transports.

Stickle, Joseph W.↗

Method for polishing the end of an optical fiber

A method of polishing a roof-shaped, or bevelled, tip having a predetermined angle on the end of an optical fiber is disclosed. The method comprises placing an optical fiber in contact with an abrasive tape at an angle corresponding to the desired predetermined angle. The fiber is moved towards the tape beyond the point of contact so as to cause a bend in the fiber. Upon moving the abrasive tape, the compliance of the fiber, by virtue of the bend, provides a pressure of the fiber against the tape to enable polishing to occur. As polishing continues the pressure decreases until enough material is removed so as to eliminate the bend and impart the predetermined angle to the fiber tip. The fiber may be rotated to polish the other side in a similar manner, if so desired.

Dholakia, Anil R.↗

Orion Landing Simulation Eight Soil Model Comparison

LS-DYNA finite element simulations of a rigid Orion Crew Module (CM) were used to investigate the CM impact behavior on eight different soil models. Ten different landing conditions, characterized by the combination of CM vertical and horizontal velocity, hang angle, and roll angle were simulated on the eight different soils. The CM center of gravity accelerations, pitch angle, kinetic energy, and soil contact forces were the outputs of interest. The simulation results are presented, with comparisons of the CM behavior on the different soils. The soils analyzed in this study can be roughly categorized as soft, medium, or hard, according to the CM accelerations that occur when landing on them. The soft group is comprised of the Carson Sink Wet soil and the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Low Density Dry Sand. The medium group includes Carson Sink Dry, the KSC High Density In-Situ Moisture Sand and High Density Flooded Sand, and Cuddeback B. The hard soils are Cuddeback A and the Gantry Unwashed Sand. The softer soils were found to produce lower peak accelerations, have more stable pitch behavior, and to be less sensitive to the landing conditions. This investigation found that the Cuddeback A soil produced the highest peak accelerations and worst stability conditions, and that the best landing performance was achieved on the KSC Low Density Dry Sand.

Mark, Stephen D.↗

Haptic stabilization of posture: changes in arm proprioception and cutaneous feedback for different arm orientations

Postural sway during quiet stance is attenuated by actively maintained contact of the index finger with a stationary surface, even if the level of applied force (<1 N) cannot provide mechanical stabilization. In this situation, changes in force level at the fingertip lead changes in center of foot pressure by approximately 250 ms. These and related findings indicate that stimulation of the fingertip combined with proprioceptive information about the hand and arm can serve as an active sensor of body position relative to the point of contact. A geometric analysis of the relationship between hand and torso displacement during body sway led to the prediction that arm and hand proprioceptive and finger somatosensory information about body sway would be maximized with finger contact in the plane of body sway. Therefore, the most postural stabilization should be possible with such contact. To test this analysis, subjects touched a laterally versus anteriorly placed surface while in each of two stances: the heel-to-toe tandem Romberg stance that reduces medial-lateral stability and the heel-to-heel, toes-outward, knees-bent, "duck stance" that reduces fore-aft stability. Postural sway was always least with finger contact in the unstable plane: for the tandem stance, lateral fingertip contact was significantly more effective than frontal contact, and, for the duck stance, frontal contact was more effective than lateral fingertip contact. Force changes at the fingertip led changes in center of pressure of the feet by approximately 250 ms for both fingertip contact locations for both test stances. These results support the geometric analysis, which showed that 1) arm joint angles change by the largest amount when fingertip contact is maintained in the plane of greatest sway, and 2) the somatosensory cues at the fingertip provide both direction and amplitude information about sway when the finger is contacting a surface in the unstable plane.

Non-NASA Center↗

Integration of mechanism and control for large-angle slew maneuvers of flexible structures

A rolling contact noncircular gear system is applied to assist a desired controller in the slewing of a flexible space structure. The varying gear ratio in cooperation with the controller results in lower feedback gains at the controller, as well as considerably reducing flexural vibrations of the space structure. The noncircular gears consist of a pair of convex noncircular cylinders with specially designed profiles that are synthesized in conjunction with the optimal controller gains for minimizing the flexural vibrations of flexible structure during a slew maneuver. Convexity of the cylindrical profiles for this noncircular gear device must be ensured to maintain rolling contact between the two cylinders. Simulations of slewing control tasks for two kinds of flexible space structures, such as a planar flexible beam and the planar articulated flexible beams, are presented.

Chew, Meng-Sang↗

Impact and Penetration of Thin Aluminum 2024 Flat Panels at Oblique Angles of Incidence

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are actively involved in improving the predictive capabilities of transient finite element computational methods for application to safety issues involving unintended impacts on aircraft and aircraft engine structures. One aspect of this work involves the development of an improved deformation and failure model for metallic materials, known as the Tabulated Johnson-Cook model, or MAT224, which has been implemented in the LS-DYNA commercial transient finite element analysis code (LSTC Corp., Livermore, CA) (Ref. 1). In this model the yield stress is a function of strain, strain rate and temperature and the plastic failure strain is a function of the state of stress, temperature and strain rate. The failure criterion is based on the accumulation of plastic strain in an element. The model also incorporates a regularization scheme to account for the dependency of plastic failure strain on mesh size. For a given material the model requires a significant amount of testing to determine the yield stress and failure strain as a function of the three-dimensional state of stress, strain rate and temperature. In addition, experiments are required to validate the model. Currently the model has been developed for Aluminum 2024 and validated against a series of ballistic impact tests on flat plates of various thicknesses (Refs. 1 to 3). Full development of the model for Titanium 6Al-4V is being completed, and mechanical testing for Inconel 718 has begun. The validation testing for the models involves ballistic impact tests using cylindrical projectiles impacting flat plates at a normal incidence (Ref. 2). By varying the thickness of the plates, different stress states and resulting failure modes are induced, providing a range of conditions over which the model can be validated. The objective of the study reported here was to provide experimental data to evaluate the model under more extreme conditions, using a projectile with a more complex shape and sharp contacts, impacting flat panels at oblique angles of incidence.

Ruggeri, Charles R.↗

Temperature profiles in high gradient furnaces

Accurate temperature measurement of the furnace environment is very important in both the science and technology of crystal growth as well as many other materials processing operations. A high degree of both accuracy and precision is acutely needed in the directional solidification of compound semiconductors in which the temperature profiles control the freezing isotherm which, in turn, affects the composition of the growth with a concomitant feedback perturbation on the temperature profile. Directional solidification requires a furnace configuration that will transport heat through the sample being grown. A common growth procedure is the Bridgman Stockbarger technique which basically consists of a hot zone and a cold zone separated by an insulator. In a normal growth procedure the material, contained in an ampoule, is melted in the hot zone and is then moved relative to the furnace toward the cold zone and solidification occurs in the insulated region. Since the primary path of heat between the hot and cold zones is through the sample, both axial and radial temperature gradients exist in the region of the growth interface. There is a need to know the temperature profile of the growth furnace with the crystal that is to be grown as the thermal load. However it is usually not feasible to insert thermocouples inside an ampoule and thermocouples attached to the outside wall of the ampoule have both a thermal and a mechanical contact problem as well as a view angle problem. The objective is to present a technique of calibrating a furnace with a thermal load that closely matches the sample to be grown and to describe procedures that circumvent both the thermal and mechanical contact problems.

Fripp, A. L.↗

Results of Landing Tests of Kellett YG-1 Autogiro (A. C. R. 35-278)

Flight tests were made with a Kellett YG-1 autogiro to determine the relationship between the ground reaction and the vertical velocity at contact for landings of the flared and gliding three-point types. The data obtained are presented in the form of time histories of linear accelerations at the center of gravity resulting from the initial landing impact. In addition, the attitude angle and velocity of the autogiro at contact were measured. The landings were all mild as compared to those representative of airplanes tested in this manner, the maximum vertical velocity being 4.4 feet per second with a corresponding normal acceleration of 2.35 g.

Gilruth, R. R.↗

Effect of Ion Sputtering on Interface Chemistry and Electrical Properties of an Gaas (100) Schottky Contacts

Auger and electron photoelectron spectroscopy were used to measure the extent of As depletion during 1 keV to 5 keV argon sputtering of GaAs surfaces. This depletion was correlated with a general decrease in the barrier height of the rectifying Au contact deposited in situ. However, nondestructive angle resolved XPS measurements showed As was depleted at the outer surface more by 1 keV than 3 keV argon. These effects are explained based on a combined work effective work function model and creation of a donor like surface damage layer. The donor layer was correlated with As depletion by sputtering. Deep level trap formation and annealing of sputtering effects were studied.

Wang, Y. X.↗