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At least 541 records · Page 30

Mobility analysis, simulation, and scale model testing for the design of wheeled planetary rovers

The use of computer based techniques to model and simulate wheeled rovers on rough natural terrains is considered. Physical models of a prototype vehicle can be used to test the correlation of the simulations in scaled testing. The computer approaches include a quasi-static planar or two dimensional analysis and design tool based on the traction necessary for the vehicle to have imminent mobility. The computer program modeled a six by six wheel drive vehicle of original kinematic configuration, called the Rocker Bogie. The Rocker Bogie was optimized using the quasi-static software with respect to its articulation parameters prior to fabrication of a prototype. In another approach used, the dynamics of the Rocker Bogie vehicle in 3-D space was modeled on an engineering workstation using commercial software. The model included the complex and nonlinear interaction of the tire and terrain. The results of the investigation yielded numerical and graphical results of the rover traversing rough terrain on the earth, moon, and Mars. In addition, animations of the rover excursions were also generated. A prototype vehicle was then used in a series of testbed and field experiments. Correspondence was then established between the computer models and the physical model. The results indicated the utility of the quasi-static tool for configurational design, as well as the predictive ability of the 3-D simulation to model the dynamic behavior of the vehicle over short traverses.

Lindemann, Randel A.↗

Effects of control saturation on the command response of statically unstable aircraft

Hanson and Stengel (1981) have described the effects of saturating controls on the initial-condition response of statically unstable aircraft. In an analysis of the stability augmentation system, consideration was given to maximizing the region of stable response. The present investigation is concerned with an extension of the control saturation analysis to the problem of command response, taking into account the main problem of control design for satisfactory flying qualities (as perceived by the pilot). A model for examining the effects of control saturation on longitudinal stability and command response is developed and applied to an aircraft with a static instability. Three parameters prescribing longitudinal flying qualities are examined with respect to their ability to identify proper flying qualities in the presence of control saturation. The presented analysis provides also satisfactory guidelines for establishing command saturation/stability boundaries.

Hanson, G. D.↗

Adaptation of NASTRAN to an integrated system of structural design analysis

Efforts to integrate NASTRAN into a complete structural analysis system for use by large airframe design projects are discussed. NASTRAN was implemented as a major finite element structural analysis program to determine the static and dynamic behavior of complete airframes, as well as structural components. This requires modifications and additions to NASTRAN, to communicate with an existing system, and to provide facilities needed to work within the integrated structural analysis. For this purpose, several special DMAP modules were developed and introduced into the CALAC version of the NASTRAN system.

Haggenmacher, G. W.↗

Analysis of progressive damage in thin circular laminates due to static-equivalent impact loads

Clamped circular graphite/epoxy plates (25.4, 38.1, and 50.8 mm radii) with an 8-ply quasi-isotropic layup were analyzed for static-equivalent impact loads using the minimum-total-potential-energy method and the von Karman strain-displacement equations. A step-by-step incremental transverse displacement procedure was used to calculate plate load and ply stresses. The ply failure region was calculated using the Tsai-Wu criterion. The corresponding failure modes (splitting and fiber failure) were determined using the maximum stress criteria. The first-failure mode was splitting and initiated first in the bottom ply. The splitting-failure thresholds were relatively low and tended to be lower for larger plates than for small plates. The splitting-damage region in each ply was elongated in its fiber direction; the bottom ply had the largest damage region. The calculated damage region for the 25.4-mm-radius plate agreed with limited static test results from the literature.

Shivakumar, K. N.↗

Assessment of Static Delamination Propagation Capabilities in Commercial Finite Element Codes Using Benchmark Analysis

With capabilities for simulating delamination growth in composite materials becoming available, the need for benchmarking and assessing these capabilities is critical. In this study, benchmark analyses were performed to assess the delamination propagation simulation capabilities of the VCCT implementations in Marc TM and MD NastranTM. Benchmark delamination growth results for Double Cantilever Beam, Single Leg Bending and End Notched Flexure specimens were generated using a numerical approach. This numerical approach was developed previously, and involves comparing results from a series of analyses at different delamination lengths to a single analysis with automatic crack propagation. Specimens were analyzed with three-dimensional and two-dimensional models, and compared with previous analyses using Abaqus . The results demonstrated that the VCCT implementation in Marc TM and MD Nastran(TradeMark) was capable of accurately replicating the benchmark delamination growth results and that the use of the numerical benchmarks offers advantages over benchmarking using experimental and analytical results.

Orifici, Adrian C.↗

Computer program to assess impact of fatigue and fracture criteria on weight and cost of transport aircraft

A preliminary design analysis tool for rapidly performing trade-off studies involving fatigue, fracture, static strength, weight, and cost is presented. Analysis subprograms were developed for fatigue life, crack growth life, and residual strength; and linked to a structural synthesis module which in turn was integrated into a computer program. The part definition module of a cost and weight analysis program was expanded to be compatible with the upgraded structural synthesis capability. The resultant vehicle design and evaluation program is named VDEP-2. It is an accurate and useful tool for estimating purposes at the preliminary design stage of airframe development. A sample case along with an explanation of program applications and input preparation is presented.

Tanner, C. J.↗

Stability analysis and trend study of a balloon tethered in a wind, with experimental comparisons

A stability analysis and trend study for a balloon tethered in a steady wind are presented. The linearized, stability-derivative type analysis includes balloon aerodynamics, buoyancy, mass (including apparent mass), and static forces resulting from the tether cable. The analysis has been applied to a balloon 7.64 m in length, and the results are compared with those from tow tests of this balloon. This comparison shows that the analysis gives reasonable predictions for the damping, frequencies, modes of motion, and stability boundaries exhibited by the balloon. A trend study for the 7.64-m balloon was made to illustrate how the stability boundaries are affected by changes in individual stability parameters. The trends indicated in this study may also be applicable to many other tethered-balloon systems.

Redd, L. T.↗

Dynamic stability and handling qualities tests on a highly augmented, statically unstable airplane

Novel flight test and analysis techniques in the flight dynamics and handling qualities area are described. These techniques were utilized at NASA Ames-Dryden during the initial flight envelope clearance of the X-29A aircraft. It is shown that the open-loop frequency response of an aircraft with highly relaxed static stability can be successfully computed on the ground from telemetry data. Postflight closed-loop frequency response data were obtained from pilot-generated frequency sweeps and it is found that the current handling quality requirements for high-maneuverability aircraft are generally applicable to the X-29A.

Gera, Joseph↗

Coupled electromechanical response of composite beams with embedded piezoelectric sensors and actuators

Unified mechanics are developed with the capability to model both sensory and active composite laminates with embedded piezoelectric layers. A discrete-layer formulation enables analysis of both global and local electromechanical response. The mechanics include the contributions from elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric components. The incorporation of electric potential into the state variables permits representation of general electromechanical boundary conditions. Approximate finite element solutions for the static and free-vibration analysis of beams are presented. Applications on composite beams demonstrate the capability to represent either sensory or active structures and to model the complicated stress-strain fields, the interactions between passive/active layers, interfacial phenomena between sensors and composite plies, and critical damage modes in the material. The capability to predict the dynamic characteristics under various electrical boundary conditions is also demonstrated.

Saravanos, D. A.↗

Flight-Test Evaluation of the Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of 0.5-Scale Models of the Fairchild Lark Pilotless-Aircraft Configuration. Static Longitudinal Stability of Models with Wing Flap Deflections of 0 Deg and 15 Deg, TED No. NACA 2387

From flight tests of 0.5-scale models of the Fairchild Lark pilotless aircraft conducted at the flight test station of the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division at Wallops Island, Va., some evaluations of the static longitudinal stability were obtained by analysis of the short-period oscillations induced by the abrupt movement of the rudder elevators. The analysis shows that for the Lark configuration with wing flap deflections of 0 degrees and 15 degrees the static longitudinal stability decreases slightly up to the critical Mach number and than as the Mach number increases further the stability increases greatly.

Stone, David G.↗

FEA-Based Failure Analysis of Post-Buckled Composite Multi-Hat Stiffened Panel Under Static Compression

The aerospace industry uses composite multi-hat stiffened panels for skins because of their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios. However, laminated composites with initial flaws are susceptible to delamination under buckling loads. The goal is to ensure damage initiation occurs past the buckled state, only stable damage progression at loads below the ultimate compressive load, and debonding failure past the ultimate compressive load. This approach reduces weight and addresses a potential design review for future aircraft repairs. The need exists to better understand damage initiation and growth mechanisms in composite structures while assisting in the design, analysis, and sustainment methods. Teflon inserts simulate damage defects during manufacturing, while barely visible impact helps capture human error during manufacturing. This work shows the interaction between the skin-stringer and ply-ply separations at the post-buckled state for both defect events using Abaqus Virtual Crack Closure Technique (VCCT). The initial configuration for the Teflon case was to leave the Teflon region unbonded, and the initial impact damage region approximation came from the experimental data and was considered the initial configuration. When compared against the experimental data produced through the NASA Advanced Composites Project (ACP), the present model captured damage transition from skin-hat to ply1-ply2. The model validations were within ~5% of the experimental data.

composite↗

A Semantic Analysis Method for Scientific and Engineering Code

This paper develops a procedure to statically analyze aspects of the meaning or semantics of scientific and engineering code. The analysis involves adding semantic declarations to a user's code and parsing this semantic knowledge with the original code using multiple expert parsers. These semantic parsers are designed to recognize formulae in different disciplines including physical and mathematical formulae and geometrical position in a numerical scheme. In practice, a user would submit code with semantic declarations of primitive variables to the analysis procedure, and its semantic parsers would automatically recognize and document some static, semantic concepts and locate some program semantic errors. A prototype implementation of this analysis procedure is demonstrated. Further, the relationship between the fundamental algebraic manipulations of equations and the parsing of expressions is explained. This ability to locate some semantic errors and document semantic concepts in scientific and engineering code should reduce the time, risk, and effort of developing and using these codes.

Stewart, Mark E. M.↗

Iterative solution of large, sparse linear systems on a static data flow architecture - Performance studies

The applicability of static data flow architectures to the iterative solution of sparse linear systems of equations is investigated. An analytic performance model of a static data flow computation is developed. This model includes both spatial parallelism, concurrent execution in multiple PE's, and pipelining, the streaming of data from array memories through the PE's. The performance model is used to analyze a row partitioned iterative algorithm for solving sparse linear systems of algebraic equations. Based on this analysis, design parameters for the static data flow architecture as a function of matrix sparsity and dimension are proposed.

Reed, D. A.↗

Development of numerical procedures for analysis of complex structures

The paper is concerned with the development of novel numerical procedures for the solution of static, stability, free vibration and dynamic response analysis of large, complex practical structures. Thus, details of numerical algorithms evolved for dynamic analysis of usual non-rotating and also rotating structures as well as finite dynamic elements are presented in the paper. Furthermore, the article provides some description of a general-purpose computer program STARS specifically developed for efficient analysis of complex practical structures.

Gupta, K. K.↗

Failure detection and fault management techniques for flush airdata sensing systems

Methods based on chi-squared analysis are presented for detecting system and individual-port failures in the high-angle-of-attack flush airdata sensing system on the NASA F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle. The HI-FADS hardware is introduced, and the aerodynamic model describes measured pressure in terms of dynamic pressure, angle of attack, angle of sideslip, and static pressure. Chi-squared analysis is described in the presentation of the concept for failure detection and fault management which includes nominal, iteration, and fault-management modes. A matrix of pressure orifices arranged in concentric circles on the nose of the aircraft indicate the parameters which are applied to the regression algorithms. The sensing techniques are applied to the F-18 flight data, and two examples are given of the computed angle-of-attack time histories. The failure-detection and fault-management techniques permit the matrix to be multiply redundant, and the chi-squared analysis is shown to be useful in the detection of failures.

Whitmore, Stephen A.↗

Evaluation of shuttle turbopump bearings

Because the high pressure turbopumps used on the space shuttle main engine (SSME) are high speed machines and rotor dynamics analysis of these units is very complicated, it was considered necessary to verify calculated turbomachinery shaft bearing loads by analysis of ball bearing load tracks. This report presents the methods used and the results of load track analysis on one set of bearings removed from a high pressure liquid oxygen turbopump which had been subjected to SSME static firing tests. This type of analysis was found useful in determining bearing operating conditions and for verifying rotor dynamics computer models.

Dufrane, K. F.↗