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At least 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Elastic constants for superplastically formed/diffusion-bonded sandwich structures

Formulae and the associated graphs are presented for contrasting the effective elastic constants for a superplastically formed/diffusion-bonded (SPF/DB) corrugated sandwich core and a honeycomb sandwich core. The results used in the comparison of the structural properties of the two types of sandwich cores are under conditions of equal sandwich density. It was found that the stiffness in the thickness direction of the optimum SPF/DB corrugated core (i.e., triangular truss core) was lower than that of the honeycomb core, and that the former had higher transverse shear stiffness than the latter.

Ko, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Loading tests of a wing structure for a hypersonic aircraft

Room-temperature loading tests were conducted on a wing structure designed with a beaded panel concept for a Mach 8 hypersonic research airplane. Strain, stress, and deflection data were compared with the results of three finite-element structural analysis computer programs and with design data. The test program data were used to evaluate the structural concept and the methods of analysis used in the design. A force stiffness technique was utilized in conjunction with load conditions which produced various combinations of panel shear and compression loading to determine the failure envelope of the buckling critical beaded panels The force-stiffness data did not result in any predictions of buckling failure. It was, therefore, concluded that the panels were conservatively designed as a result of design constraints and assumptions of panel eccentricities. The analysis programs calculated strains and stresses competently. Comparisons between calculated and measured structural deflections showed good agreement. The test program offered a positive demonstration of the beaded panel concept subjected to room-temperature load conditions.

Fields, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Design study of prestressed rotor spar concept

Studies on the Bell Helicopter 540 Rotor System of the AH-1G helicopter were performed. The stiffness, mass and geometric configurations of the Bell blade were matched to give a dynamically similar prestressed composite blade. A multi-tube, prestressed composite spar blade configuration was designed for superior ballistic survivability at low life cycle cost. The composite spar prestresses, imparted during fabrication, are chosen to maintain compression in the high strength cryogenically stretchformed 304-L stainless steel liner and tension in the overwrapped HTS graphite fibers under operating loads. This prestressing results in greatly improved crack propagation and fatigue resistance as well as enhanced fiber stiffness properties. Advantages projected for the prestressed composite rotor spar concept include increased operational life and improved ballistic survivability at low life cycle cost.

Gleich, D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Effect of a flexibly mounted store on the flutter speed of a wing

A passive system proposed for increasing the flutter speed of a wing with heavy concentrated weights involves the concept of mounting the store on a pitch pivot having a very low pitch stiffness relative to the wing stiffness. This concept was investigated utilizing a two dimensional approach involving 4 degrees of freedom, namely, wing bending, wing torsion, store pitch and store vertical translation. This preliminary analysis was very encouraging and the results demonstrate that, if the uncoupled store pitch frequency was below the wing bending frequency, the flutter speed was greatly increased. A second more complete analysis was developed utilizing a three dimensional structure, but retaining the two dimensional, incompressible unsteady airforces of Theodorsen. The details of the analysis are included.

Runyan, H. L.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Design and Manufacture of Wheels for A Dual-Mode (Manned - Automatic) Lunar Surface Roving Vehicle. Volume 1: Detailed Technical Report

The concept development, testing, evaluation, and the selection of a final wheel design concept for a dual-mode lunar surface vehicle (DLRV) is detailed. Four wheel configurations were fabricated (one open wheel and three closed wheel) (and subjected to a series of soft soil, mechanical, and endurance tests. Results show that the open wheel has lower draw-bar pull (slope climbing) capability in loose soil due to its higher ground pressure and tendency to dig in at high wheel slip. Endurance tests indicate that a double mesh, fully enclosed wheel can be developed to meet DLRV life requirements. There is, however, a 1.0 to 1.8 lb/wheel weight penalty associated with the wheel enclosure. Also the button cleats used as grousers for the closed-type wheels result in local stress concentration and early fatigue failure of the wire mesh. Load deflection tests indicate that the stiffness of the covered wheel increased by up to 50% after soil bin testing, due to increased friction between the fabric and the wire mesh caused by the sand. No change in stiffness was found for the open wheel. The single woven mesh open wheel design with a chevron tread is recommended for continued development

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1980

Superconducting bearings for application in cryogenic experiments in space

Linear superconducting magnetic bearings suitable for use in a proposed orbital equivalence principle experiment and for general application in space were developed and tested. Current flows in opposite directions in adjacent superconducting wires arranged parallel to the axis of a cylinder. This configuration provides maximum stiffness radially while allowing the test mass to move freely along the cylinder axis. In a space application, the wires are extended to cover the entire perimeter of the cylinder: for the earth-based tests it was desirable to use only the bottom half. Control of the axial position of the test mass is by small control coils which may be positioned inside or outside the main bearing. The design is suitable for application to other geometries where maximum stiffness is desired. A working model scaled to operate in a 1-g environment was perfected approximate solutions for the bearings were developed. A superconducting transformer method of charging the magnets for the bearing, and a position detector based on a SQUID magnetometer and associated superconducting circuit were also investigated.

Everitt, C. W. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Damping in ring seals for compressible fluids

An analysis is presented to calculate damping in ring seals for a compressible fluid. Results show that damping in tapered ring seals (optimized for stiffness) is less than that in straight bore ring seals for the same minimum clearance. Damping in ring seals can promote fractional frequency whirl and can, thus, be detrimental. Thus, tapered seals can benefit rotor and seal stability by having lower damping as well as higher stiffness. Use of incompressible results leads to large errors.

Fleming, D. P.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Straightening of a wavy strip: An elastic-plastic contact problem including snap-through

The nonlinear behavior of a wave like deformed metal strip during the levelling process were calculated. Elastic-plastic material behavior as well as nonlinearities due to large deformations were considered. The considered problem lead to a combined stability and contact problem. It is shown that, despite the initially concentrated loading, neglecting the change of loading conditions due to altered contact domains may lead to a significant error in the evaluation of the nonlinear behavior and particularly to an underestimation of the stability limit load. The stability was examined by considering the load deflection path and the behavior of a load-dependent current stiffness parameter in combination with the determinant of the current stiffness matrix.

Fischer, D. F.↗
NASA NTRS1980

On the performance of explicit and implicit algorithms for transient thermal analysis

The status of an effort to increase the efficiency of calculating transient temperature fields in complex aerospace vehicle structures is described. The advantages and disadvantages of explicit and implicit algorithms are discussed. A promising set of implicit algorithms, known as the GEAR package is described. Four test problems, used for evaluating and comparing various algorithms, have been selected and finite element models of the configurations are discribed. These problems include a space shuttle frame component, an insulated cylinder, a metallic panel for a thermal protection system and a model of the space shuttle orbiter wing. Calculations were carried out using the SPAR finite element program, the MITAS lumped parameter program and a special purpose finite element program incorporating the GEAR algorithms. Results generally indicate a preference for implicit over explicit algorithms for solution of transient structural heat transfer problems when the governing equations are stiff. Careful attention to modeling detail such as avoiding thin or short high-conducting elements can sometimes reduce the stiffness to the extent that explicit methods become advantageous.

Adelman, H. M.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Design of elastomer dampers for a high-speed flexible rotor

This paper describes the methods used to design elastomerically damped supports for high-speed, flexible rotor-bearing systems. The procedure consists of using a damped natural frequency analysis to identify stiffness and damping requirements for the supports over the speed range. Optimum values for these coefficients are found and unbalance response analysis is used to calculate expected rotor behavior. Equations for calculating the shear and compressive stiffness and damping of button-type elastomer mounts are given, as is a procedure for their application to the design of the elastomeric mounts. These techniques were successfully applied to the design of damped elastomeric supports for a high-speed rotor, which traverses two bending critical speeds. Results of the testing showed that the rotor was well behaved and showed linear response to unbalance. Measured modal damping exceeded expectations and tests were conducted with both high- and low-loss elastomers, enabling the exploration of the practical range of elastomer damping capability.

Tecza, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Analysis of the vibratory excitation of gear systems. II - Tooth error representations, approximations, and application

The second part of a theory for predicting the vibratory excitation of gear systems from fundamental descriptions of gear tooth elastic properties and deviations of tooth faces from perfect involute surfaces is presented. The first part of the theory provides expressions for the Fourier-series coefficients of the vibratory excitation, and this paper gives expressions for these Fourier-series coefficients in terms of easily interpreted gear tooth metrics that are readily evaluated from tooth-face measurements. Results are given for rectangular tooth-face contact regions using two-dimensional Legendre polynomial expansions of local tooth-pair stiffnesses and stiffness-weighted deviations of tooth faces from perfect involute surfaces. A rigorous transfer function approach is developed that permits separation of the effects of gear tooth errors and gear design parameters; the theory is applicable to helical and spur gears and is illustrated with measurements of tooth-spacing errors and tooth profiles obtained from a pair of spur gears.

Mark, W. D.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Structural properties of superplastically formed/diffusion-bonded orthogonally corrugated core sandwich plates

This paper describes a new superplastically formed/diffusion-bonded (SPF/DB) orthogonally corrugated sandwich structure, and presents formulae and the associated plots for evaluating the effective elastic constants for the core of this new sandwich structure. Comparison of structural properties of this new sandwich structure with the conventional honeycomb core sandwich structure was made under the condition of equal sandwich density. It was found that the SPF/DB orthogonally corrugated sandwich core has higher transverse shear stiffness than the conventional honeycomb sandwich core. However, the former has lower stiffness in the sandwich core thickness direction than the latter.

Ko, W. L.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Dynamic properties of elastomer cartridge specimens under a rotating load

This paper presents the results of a program of analysis and test to determine the dynamic properties of elastomer cartridges operating under a rotating load. These measured properties were compared to predictions based on results of unidirectional tests with the same elastomer material. The test method for the dynamic stiffness and damping measurements was essentially the same as the Base Excitation Resonant Mass Method. The primary difference is that the exciting force used for these most recent tests was exerted by rotating unbalance in a rotational test rig rather than a shake table. The specimens tested were: two rectangular cross-section, continuous ring cartridges of different cross-section and three cylindrical button cartridges of different button thickness. Tests were performed for strains from about 0.0001 to about 0.01 (double amplitude). Material properties and prediction equations determined from reciprocating tests were used to make numerical predictions of stiffness, damping, and loss coefficient for the test elements, with encouraging results. Strain was shown to be an important parameter in determining these dynamic properties, particularly damping and loss coefficient.

Darlow, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Noise transmission and control for a light, twin-engine aircraft

One of the dominant source-path combinations for cabin noise in light, twin-engine aircraft is propeller noise being transmitted through the fuselage sidewall. This source-path was investigated and candidate sidewall add-on treatment were installed and tested using both an external sound source and the propeller in a ground static runup. Results indicate that adding either mass or stiffness to the fuselage skin would improve sidewall attenuation and that the honeycomb stiffness treatment used generally provided more improvement than an equal amount of added mass. It is proposed that double-wall construction in conjunction with skin stiffening should provide a good weight efficient combination for the aircraft studied.

Barton, C. K.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Stability of large horizontal-axis axisymmetric wind turbines

The stability of large horizontal axis, axi-symmetric, power producing wind turbines was examined. The analytical model used included the dynamic coupling of the rotor, tower and power generating system. The aerodynamic loading was derived from blade element theory. Each rotor blade was permitted tow principal elastic bending degrees of freedom, one degree of freedom in torsion and controlled pitch as a rigid body. The rotor hub was mounted in a rigid nacelle which may yaw freely or in a controlled manner. The tower can bend in two principal directions and may twist. Also, the rotor speed can vary and may induce perturbation reactions within the power generating equipment. Stability was determined by the eigenvalues of a set of linearized constant coefficient differential equations. All results presented are based on a 3 bladed, 300 ft. diameter, 2.5 megawatt wind turbine. Some of the parameters varied were; wind speed, rotor speed structural stiffness and damping, the effective stiffness and damping of the power generating system and the principal bending directions of the rotor blades. Unstable or weakly stable behavior can be caused by aerodynamic forces due to motion of the rotor blades and tower in the plane of rotation or by mechanical coupling between the rotor system and the tower.

Hirschbein, M. S.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Rotordynamics analysis for the HPFTP (High Pressure Fuel Turbopump) of the SSME (Space Shuttle Main Engine). SSME turbopump technology improvements via transient rotordynamics analysis

The results of both linear (stability and synchronous response) and transient nonlinear analyses are reported. Dynamic coefficients were developed for the HPFTP interstage seals, and introduced into the rotordynamic model. The influence on HPFTP rotordynamics of a change in interstage seals from the smooth stepped design to a smooth straight configuration was examined. The sensitivity of the stability and synchronous results to changes in bearing stiffnesses and damping was determined. The influence on rotordynamic stability of a change from the stiff symmetric bearing carrier design to an asymmetric bearing carrier configuration was also studied.

Childs, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Characterization of delamination onset and growth in a composite laminate

The onset and growth of delaminations in unnotched (+ or - 30/+ or - 30/90/90 bar) sub S graphite epoxy laminates is described quantitatively. These laminates, designed to delaminate at the edges under tensile loads, were tested and analyzed. Delamination growth and stiffness loss were monitored nondestructively. Laminate stiffness decreased linearly with delamination size. The strain energy release rate, G, associated with delamination growth, was calculated from two analyses. A critical G for delamination onset was determined, and then was used to predict the onset of delaminations in (+45 sub n/-45 sub n/o sub n/90 sub n) sub s (n=1,2,3) laminates. A delamination resistance curve (R curve) was developed to characterize the observed stable delamination growth under quasi static loading. A power law correlation between G and delamination growth rates in fatigue was established.

Obrien, T. K.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Buckling and vibration of periodic lattice structures

Lattice booms and platforms composed of flexible members or large diameter rings which may be stiffened by cables in order to support membrane-like antennas or reflector surfaces are the main components of some large space structures. The nature of these structures, repetitive geometry with few different members, makes possible relatively simple solutions for buckling and vibration of a certain class of these structures. Each member is represented by a stiffness matrix derived from the exact solution of the beam column equation. This transcendental matrix gives the current member stiffness at any end load or frequency. Using conventional finite element techniques, equilibrium equations can be written involving displacements and rotations of a typical node and its neighbors. The assumptions of a simple trigonometric mode shape is found to satisfy these equations exactly; thus the entire problem is governed by just one 6 x 6 matrix equation involving the amplitude of the displacement and rotation mode shapes. The boundary conditions implied by this solution are simple supported ends for the column type configurations.

Anderson, M. S.↗