Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Mechanical loading”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Buckling analysis and test correlation of high temperature structural panels

This paper focuses on the design, analysis, and test of a high temperature structural panel, constructed of Ti-6-4, subjected to a variety of thermal and mechanical load conditions. A follow-on panel, constructed of TMC, is also discussed in less detail. The design constraints and test set-up are discussed, as well as the test methods that were used: the grid shadow moire method and a single gage force stiffness method. The agreement between the test data and analysis for this test program provides confidence in the methods that are currently being used to design structures for hypersonic vehicles. The agreement also suggests that postbuckled strength may potentially be used to reduce the vehicle weight.

Teare, Wendy P.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Development of advanced modal methods for calculating transient thermal and structural response

Higher-order modal methods for predicting thermal and structural response are evaluated. More accurate methods or ones which can significantly reduce the size of complex, transient thermal and structural problems are desirable for analysis and are required for synthesis of real structures subjected to thermal and mechanical loading. A unified method is presented for deriving successively higher-order modal solutions related to previously-developed, lower-order methods such as the mode displacement and mode-acceleration methods. A new method, called the force-derivative method, is used to obtain higher-order modal solutions for both uncoupled (proportionally-damped) structural problems as well as thermal problems and coupled (non-proportionally damped) structural problems. The new method is called the force-derivative method because, analogous to the mode-acceleration method, it produces a term that depends on the forcing function and additional terms that depend on the time derivatives of the forcing function.

Camarda, Charles J.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Thermal-structural panel buckling tests

The buckling characteristics of a titanium matrix composite hat-stiffened panel were experimentally examined for various combinations of thermal and mechanical loads. Panel failure was prevented by maintaining the applied loads below real-time critical buckling predictions. The test techniques used to apply the loads, minimize boundary were shown to compare well with a finite-element buckling analysis for previous panels. Comparisons between test predictions and analysis for this panel are ongoing.

Thompson, Randolph C.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Design, analysis, and testing of a reusable wingbox for ballistic evaluation of composite structures

Future fighter aircraft will continue to be subjected to severe mechanical loading and ballistic impact. In the past aircraft primary wing structure was constructed predominantly with aluminum, but with increasing aircraft performance the need for more structurally efficient materials is necessary. In an attempt to achieve structural efficiency requirements, aircraft designers have begun using an increasing amount of composite materials. Composite materials were indicated to have a low level of ballistic tolerance in some applications. Composite materials possess the characteristic of structural tailoring, which was utilized to demonstrate that survivability can be designed into a structure. The combat flight environment subjects fighter aircraft wing structures to the effects of combined loading during ballistic impact. These loads were previously demonstrated independently, i.e., the application of structural load, hydrodynamic ram damage, and the effects of airflow. The objective was to design a reusable test fixture for the ballistic evaluation of advanced composite structures under all the effects of combined loading. The fixture that was developed provides a test bed that can completely simulate the flight environment of a generic fighter aircraft wing, but can be used for an indefinite number and variety of tests. It is intended that this fixture will provide a standardized method of ballistically evaluating an advanced composite primary wing structure. This fixture will be used to accomplish the development of designs and/or advanced concepts that lead to a survivable composite wing structure.

Baron, W. G.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Thermal-structural test facilities at NASA Dryden

The National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) has renewed interest in hypersonic flight and hot-structures technology development for both the airframe and engine. The NASA Dryden Thermostructures Research Facility is a unique national facility that was designed to conduct thermal-mechanical tests on aircraft and aircraft components by simulating the flight thermal environment in the laboratory. The layout of the facility is presented, which includes descriptions of the high-bay test area, the instrumentation laboratories, the mechanical loading systems, and the state-of-the-art closed-loop thermal control system. The hot-structures test capability of the facility is emphasized by the Mach-3 thermal simulation conducted on the YF-12 airplane. The Liquid-Hydrogen Structural Test Facility, which is presently in the design phase, will provide the capability of thermally testing structures containing hydrogen.

Deangelis, V. Michael↗
NASA NTRS1992

Thermal residual stresses in silicon-carbide/titanium (0/90) laminate

The current work formulated a micromechanical analysis of a cross-ply laminate and calculated the thermal residual stress in a very thick (0/90)(sub 2n) silicon-carbide/titanium laminate. Results were also shown for a unidirectional laminate of the same material. Discrete fiber-matrix models assuming a rectangular array of fibers with a fiber volume fraction of 32.5 percent and a three-dimensional, finite-element analysis were used. Significant differences in the trends and magnitudes for the fiber, matrix, and interface stresses were calculated for unidirectional and (0/90) models. Larger hoop stresses calculated for the (0/90) model indicate that it may be more susceptible to radial cracking when subjected to mechanical loading than the unidirectional model. The axial stresses in the matrix were calculated to be slightly larger for the (0/90) model. The compressive axial stresses in the fiber were significantly larger in the (0/90) model. The presence of the cross-ply in the (0/90) model reduced the constraint on the fiber, producing radial interface stresses that were less compressive, which could lead to earlier failure of the fiber-matrix interface.

Bigelow, C. A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Thermostructural tailoring of fiber composite structures

A significant area of interest in design of complex structures involves the study of multidisciplined problems. The coordination of several different intricate areas of study to obtain a particular design of a structure is a new and pressing area of research. In the past, each discipline would perform its task consecutively using the appropriate inputs from the other disciplines. This process usually required several time-consuming iterations to obtain a satisfactory design. The alternative pursued here is combining various participating disciplines and specified design requirements into a formal structural computer code. The main focus of this research is to develop a multidiscipline structural tailoring method for select composite structures and to demonstrate its application to specific areas. The development of an integrated computer program involves the coupling of three independent computer programs using an excutive module. This module will be the foundation for integrating a structural optimizer, a composites analyzer and a thermal analyzer. With the completion of the executive module, the first step was taken toward the evolution of multidiscipline software in the field of composite mechanics. Through the use of an array of cases involving a variety of objective functions/constraints and thermal-mechanical load conditions, it became evident that simple composite structures can be designed to a combined loads environment.

Acquaviva, Thomas H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

LUTE primary mirror materials and design study report

The major objective of the Lunar Ultraviolet Telescope Experiment (LUTE) Primary Mirror Materials and Design Study is to investigate the feasibility of the LUTE telescope primary mirror. A systematic approach to accomplish this key goal was taken by first understanding the optical, thermal, and structural requirements and then deriving the critical primary mirror-level requirements for ground testing, launch, and lunar operations. After summarizing the results in those requirements which drove the selection of material and the design for the primary mirror are discussed. Most important of these are the optical design which was assumed to be the MSFC baseline (i.e. 3 mirror optical system), telescope wavefront error (WFE) allocations, the telescope weight budget, and the LUTE operational temperature ranges. Mechanical load levels, reflectance and microroughness issues, and options for the LUTE metering structure were discussed and an outline for the LUTE telescope sub-system design specification was initiated. The primary mirror analysis and results are presented. The six material substrate candidates are discussed and four distinct mirror geometries which are considered are shown. With these materials and configurations together with varying the location of the mirror support points, a total of 42 possible primary mirror designs resulted. The polishability of each substrate candidate was investigated and a usage history of 0.5 meter and larger precision cryogenic mirrors (the operational low end LUTE temperature of 60 K is the reason we feel a survey of cryogenic mirrors is appropriate) that were flown or tested are presented.

Ruthven, Greg↗
NASA NTRS1992

Heat pipe fatigue test specimen: Metallurgical evaluation

An innovative creep/fatigue test was run to simulate the temperature, mechanical load, and sodium corrosion conditions expected in a heat pipe designed to supply thermal energy to a Stirling cycle power converter. A sodium-charged Inconel 718 heat pipe with a Nickel 200 screen wick was operated for 1090 hr at temperatures between 950 K (1250 F) and 1050 K (1430 F) while being subjected to creep and fatigue loads in a servo-hydraulic testing machine. After testing, the heat pipe was sectioned and examined using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis with wavelength dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The analysis concentrated on evaluating topographic, microstructural, and chemical changes in the sodium exposed surfaces of the heat pipe wall and wick. Surface changes in the evaporator, condenser, and adiabatic sections of the heat pipe were examined in an effort to correlate the changes with the expected sodium environment in the heat pipe. This report describes the setup, operating conditions, and analytical results of the sodium heat pipe fatigue test.

Walak, Steven E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

The influence of primary and secondary orientations on the elastic response of a nickel-base single-crystal superalloy

The influence of primary orientation on the elastic response of a (001)-oriented nickel-base single-crystal superalloy, PWA 1480, was investigated under mechanical, thermal, and combined thermal and mechanical loading conditions using finite element techniques. Elastic stress analyses were performed using the MARC finite element code on a square plate of PWA 1480 material. Primary orientation of the single crystal superalloy was varied in increments of 2 deg, from 0 to 10 deg, from the (001) direction. Two secondary orientations (0 and 45 deg) were considered, with respect to the global coordinate system, as the primary orientation angle was varied. The stresses developed within the single crystal plate were determined for each loading condition. In this paper, the influence of the angular offset between the primary crystal orientation and the loading direction on the elastic stress response of the PWA 1480 plate is presented for different loading conditions. The influence of primary orientation angle, when constrained between the bounds considered, was not found to be as significant as the influence of the secondary orientation angle, which is not typically controlled.

Abdul-Aziz, Ali↗
NASA NTRS1991

Creep and stress relaxation modeling of polycrystalline ceramic fibers

A variety of high performance polycrystalline ceramic fibers are currently being considered as reinforcement for high temperature ceramic matrix composites. However, under mechanical loading above 800 C, these fibers display creep-related instabilities which can result in detrimental changes in composite dimensions, strength, and internal stress distributions. As a first step toward understanding these effects, this study examines the validity of mechanistic-based empirical model which describes primary stage tensile creep and stress relaxation of polycrystalline ceramic fibers as independent functions of time, temperature, and applied stress or strain. To verify these functional dependencies, a simple bend test is used to measure stress relaxation for four types of commercial ceramic fibers for which direct tensile creep data are available. These fibers include both nonoxide (SCS-6, Nicalon) and oxide (PRD-166, FP) compositions. The results of the bend stress relaxation (BSR) test not only confirm the stress, time, and temperature dependencies predicted by the model but also allow measurement of model empirical parameters for the four fiber types. In addition, comparison of model predictions and BSR test results with the literature tensile creep data show good agreement, supporting both the predictive capability of the model and the use of the BSR test as a simple method for parameter determination for other fibers.

Dicarlo, James A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Buckling analysis of laminated thin shells in a hot environment

Results are presented of parametric studies to assess the effects of various parameters on the buckling behavior of angle-ply, laminated thin shells in a hot environment. These results were obtained by using a three-dimensional finite element analysis. An angle-ply, laminated thin shell with fiber orientation of (theta/-theta)(sub 2) was subjected to compressive mechanical loads. The laminated thin shell had a cylindrical geometry. The laminate contained T300 graphite fibers embedded in an intermediate-modulus, high-strength (IMHS) matrix. The fiber volume fraction was 55 percent and the moisture content was 2 percent. The residual stresses induced into the laminate structure during the curing were taken into account. Parametric studies were performed to examine the effect on the critical buckling load of the following parameters: cylinder length and thickness, internal hydrostatic pressure, different ply thicknesses, different temperature profiles through the thickness of the structure, and different lay up configurations and fiber volume fractions. In conjunction with these parameters the ply orientation was varied from 0 deg to 90 deg. Seven ply angles were examined: 0 deg, 15 deg, 30 deg, 45 deg, 60 deg, 75 deg, and 90 deg. The results show that the ply angle theta and the laminate thickness had significant effects on the critical buckling load. The fiber volume fraction, the fiber orientations, and the internal hydrostatic pressure had important effects on the critical buckling load. The cylinder length had a moderate influence on the buckling load. The thin shell with (theta/-theta)(sub 2) or (theta/-theta)(sub s) angle-ply laminate had better buckling-load performance than the thin shell with (theta)(sub 4) angle-ply laminate. The temperature profiles through the laminate thickness and various laminates with the different ply thicknesses has insignificant effects on the buckling behavior of the thin shells.

Gotsis, Pascal K.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Space research on organs and tissues

Studies in space on various physiological systems have and will continue to provide valuable information on how they adapt to reduced gravitational conditions, and how living in a 1 g (gravity) environment has guided their development. Muscle and bone are the most notable tissues that respond to unweighting caused by lack of gravity. The function of specific muscles and bones relates directly to mechanical loading, so that removal of 'normal forces' in space, or in bedridden patients, causes dramatic loss of tissue mass. The cardiovascular system is also markedly affected by reduced gravity. Adaptation includes decreased blood flow to the lower extremities, thus decreasing the heart output requirement. Return to 1 g is associated with a period of reconditioning due to the deconditioning that occurs in space. Changes in the cardiovascular system are also related to responses of the kidney and certain endocrine (hormone-producing) organs. Changes in respiratory function may also occur, suggesting an effect on the lungs, though this adaptation is poorly understood. The neurovestibular system, including the brain and organs of the inner ear, must adapt to the disorientation caused by lack of gravity. Preliminary findings have been reported for liver. Additionally, endocrine organs responsible for release of hormones such as insulin, growth hormone, glucocorticoids, and thyroid hormone may respond to spaceflight.

Tischler, Marc E.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Analysis of thermal mechanical fatigue in titanium matrix composites

Titanium metal matrix composites are being evaluated for structural applications on advanced hypersonic vehicles. These composites are reinforced with ceramic fibers such as silicon carbide, SCS-6. This combination of matrix and fiber results in a high stiffness, high strength composite that has good retention of properties even at elevated temperatures. However, significant thermal stresses are developed within the composite between the fiber and the matrix due to the difference in their respective coefficients of thermal expansion. In addition to the internal stresses that are generated due to thermal cycling, the overall laminate will be subjected to considerable mechanical loads during the thermal cycling. In order to develop life prediction methodology, one must be able to predict the stresses and strains that occur in the composite's constituents during the complex loading. Thus the purpose is to describe such an analytical tool, VISCOPLY.

Johnson, W. Steven↗
NASA NTRS1994

Implementation of thermal residual stresses in the analysis of fiber bridged matrix crack growth in titanium matrix composites

In this research, thermal residual stresses were incorporated in an analysis of fiber-bridged matrix cracks in unidirectional and cross-ply titanium matrix composites (TMC) containing center holes or center notches. Two TMC were investigated, namely, SCS-6/Timelal-21S laminates. Experimentally, matrix crack initiation and growth were monitored during tension-tension fatigue tests conducted at room temperature and at an elevated temperature of 200 C. Analytically, thermal residual stresses were included in a fiber bridging (FB) model. The local R-ratio and stress-intensity factor in the matrix due to thermal and mechanical loadings were calculated and used to evaluate the matrix crack growth behavior in the two materials studied. The frictional shear stress term, tau, assumed in this model was used as a curve-fitting parameter to matrix crack growth data. The scatter band in the values of tau used to fit the matrix crack growth data was significantly reduced when thermal residual stresses were included in the fiber bridging analysis. For a given material system, lay-up and temperature, a single value of tau was sufficient to analyze the crack growth data. It was revealed in this study that thermal residual stresses are an important factor overlooked in the original FB models.

Bakuckas, John G., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Mechanical failure probability of glasses in Earth orbit

Results of five years of earth-orbital exposure on mechanical properties of glasses indicate that radiation effects on mechanical properties of glasses, for the glasses examined, are less than the probable error of measurement. During the 5 year exposure, seven micrometeorite or space debris impacts occurred on the samples examined. These impacts were located in locations which were not subjected to effective mechanical testing, hence limited information on their influence upon mechanical strength was obtained. Combination of these results with micrometeorite and space debris impact frequency obtained by other experiments permits estimates of the failure probability of glasses exposed to mechanical loading under earth-orbit conditions. This probabilistic failure prediction is described and illustrated with examples.

Kinser, Donald L.↗
NASA NTRS1994

TEXCAD: Textile Composite Analysis for Design. Version 1.0: User's manual

The Textile Composite Analysis for Design (TEXCAD) code provides the materials/design engineer with a user-friendly desktop computer (IBM PC compatible or Apple Macintosh) tool for the analysis of a wide variety of fabric reinforced woven and braided composites. It can be used to calculate overall thermal and mechanical properties along with engineering estimates of damage progression and strength. TEXCAD also calculates laminate properties for stacked, oriented fabric constructions. It discretely models the yarn centerline paths within the textile repeating unit cell (RUC) by assuming sinusoidal undulations at yarn cross-over points and uses a yarn discretization scheme (which subdivides each yarn not smaller, piecewise straight yarn slices) together with a 3-D stress averaging procedure to compute overall stiffness properties. In the calculations for strength, it uses a curved beam-on-elastic foundation model for yarn undulating regions together with an incremental approach in which stiffness properties for the failed yarn slices are reduced based on the predicted yarn slice failure mode. Nonlinear shear effects and nonlinear geometric effects can be simulated. Input to TEXCAD consists of: (1) materials parameters like impregnated yarn and resin properties such moduli, Poisson's ratios, coefficients of thermal expansion, nonlinear parameters, axial failure strains and in-plane failure stresses; and (2) fabric parameters like yarn sizes, braid angle, yarn packing density, filament diameter and overall fiber volume fraction. Output consists of overall thermoelastic constants, yarn slice strains/stresses, yarn slice failure history, in-plane stress-strain response and ultimate failure strength. Strength can be computed under the combined action of thermal and mechanical loading (tension, compression and shear).

Naik, Rajiv A.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Discrete crack growth analysis methodology for through cracks in pressurized fuselage structures

A methodology for simulating the growth of long through cracks in the skin of pressurized aircraft fuselage structures is described. Crack trajectories are allowed to be arbitrary and are computed as part of the simulation. The interaction between the mechanical loads acting on the superstructure and the local structural response near the crack tips is accounted for by employing a hierarchical modeling strategy. The structural response for each cracked configuration is obtained using a geometrically nonlinear shell finite element analysis procedure. Four stress intensity factors, two for membrane behavior and two for bending using Kirchhoff plate theory, are computed using an extension of the modified crack closure integral method. Crack trajectories are determined by applying the maximum tangential stress criterion. Crack growth results in localized mesh deletion, and the deletion regions are remeshed automatically using a newly developed all-quadrilateral meshing algorithm. The effectiveness of the methodology and its applicability to performing practical analyses of realistic structures is demonstrated by simulating curvilinear crack growth in a fuselage panel that is representative of a typical narrow-body aircraft. The predicted crack trajectory and fatigue life compare well with measurements of these same quantities from a full-scale pressurized panel test.

Potyondy, David O.↗