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At least 757 records · Page 42

The effects of compressive preloads on the compression-after-impact strength of carbon/epoxy

A preloading device was used to examine the effects of compressive prestress on the compression-after-impact (CAI) strength of 16-ply, quasi-isotropic carbon epoxy test coupons. T300/934 material was evaluated at preloads from 200 to 4000 lb at impact energies from 1 to 9 joules. IM7/8551-7 material was evaluated at preloads from 4000 to 10,000 lb at impact energies from 4 to 16 joules. Advanced design of experiments methodology was used to design and evaluate the test matrices. The results showed that no statistically significant change in CAI strength could be contributed to the amount of compressive preload applied to the specimen.

Nettles, A. T.↗

Impact Damage Tolerance of Composite Laminates with Through-The-Thickness Stitches

The ability of through-the-thickness stitches to contain damage during a low-velocity impact event and increase the residual strength of stitched panels was investigated in this research. The impact response, spread of interlaminar delaminations, dent depth, surface damage, and static residual strength after impact were studied for carbon-epoxy specimens fabricated from HTS40 TohoTenax standard modulus fibers, stitched together with Vectran 1200 denier thread and infused with API 1078 resin after through-the-thickness stitching. Three different stitch patterns were used to explore the ability to arrest impact damage during and after impact. Simply supported boundary conditions were maintained during the impact testing. Non-destructive evaluations were performed using ultrasonic C-scans and X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging to determine the shape, size, and location of delaminations. Results indicate that while the dynamic response during the impact event was almost the same for the unstitched specimens and all stitch patterns considered, the extent of delamination and the compression strength after impact varied greatly. For both the 60 J and 80 J impact energies, the delamination area was significantly less for the stitched specimens than for the unstitched specimens, but the range of delamination areas among the stitch patterns was much larger for the lower impact energy than for the greater impact energy. Similarly, while the presence of stitching influenced the compression after impact strength, the strength values for all stitch patterns were very similar. These results are a step toward quantifying the influence of through-the-thickness stitching.

Ranatunga, Vipul↗

Tungsten wire-reinforced superalloys for 1093 C (2000 F) turbine blade applications

Various combinations of fiber and matrix materials were fabricated and evaluated for the purpose of selecting a specific combination that exhibited the best overall properties for a turbine blade application. A total of seven matrix alloys, including Hastelloy X, Nimonic 80A, Inconel 600, Inconel 625, IN-102, FeCrA1Y, were investigated reinforced with either 218CS tungsten, or W-Hf-C fibers. Based on preliminary screening studies, FeCrA1Y, Inconel 600 and Inconel 625 matrix composites systems were selected for extended thermal cycle tests and for property evaluations which included stress rupture, impact, and oxidation resistance. Of those investigated, the FeCrA1Y matrix composite system exhibited the best overall properties required for a turbine blade application. The W-Hf-C/FeCrA1Y system was selected for further property evaluation. Tensile strength values of up to 724 MPa (105,000 psi) were obtained for this material at 982 C and 607 MPa at 1093 C.

Friedman, G. I.↗

Rotorcraft convertible engine study

Convertible propulsion systems for advanced rotorcraft are evaluated in terms of their impact on aircraft operating economics and fuel consumption. A variety of propulsion system concepts, including separate thrust and power producing engines, convertible fan/shaft engines, and auxiliary propeller configurations are presented. The merits of each are evaluated in two different rotorcraft missions: an intercity, commercial transport of the ABC(TM) type, and an offshore oil ring supply ship of the X-wing type. The variable inlet guide vane fan/shaft converting engine and auxiliary propeller configurations are shown to offer significant advantages over all the other systems evaluated, in terms of both direct operating cost and fuel consumption.

Goldstein, D. N.↗

Flexible Foam Protection Materials for Constellation Space Suit Element Portable Life Support Subsystem Packaging Study

This paper discusses the effort in evaluating and selecting a light weight impact protection material for the Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE) Portable Life Support Subsystem (PLSS) conceptual packaging study. A light weight material capable of holding and protecting the components inside the PLSS is required to demonstrate the viability of the flexible PLSS packaging concept. The material needs to distribute, dissipate, and absorb the impact energy of the PLSS falling on the lunar surface. It must also be very robust and function in the extreme lunar thermal vacuum environment for up to one hundred Extravehicular Activity (EVA) missions. This paper documents the performance requirements for selecting a foam protection material, and the methodologies for evaluating commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) foam protection materials. It also presents the materials properties test results and impact drop test results of the various foam materials evaluated in the study. The findings from this study suggest that a foam based flexible protection system is a viable solution for PLSS packaging. However, additional works are needed to optimize COTS foam properties or to develop a composite foam system that will meet all the performance requirements for the CSSE PLSS flexible packaging.

Tang, Henry H.↗

Evaluation of residual strength of composite laminates damaged by low velocity impacts

This work presents the study of Low Velocity Transverse Impact damage of graphite-epoxy T300/5208 composite material. An energy dissipation model was developed to predict the residual strength from fracture mechanics concepts. The specimens, 100 mm diameter clamped plates, were impact damaged by a cantilever-type instrumented 1-inch diameter steel ball. This study was limited to impact velocity 6 m/sec. Rectangular strips, 50 mm x 125 mm, were cut from the impact-damaged specimens so that the impact damage zone was in the center of the strips. These strips were tested to obtain their residual strength. Predictions were compared with the test results.

Lal, K. M.↗

Impact of low cost refurbishable and standard spacecraft upon future NASA space programs. Payload effects follow-on study, appendix

Mission analysis is discussed, including the consolidation and expansion of mission equipment and experiment characteristics, and determination of simplified shuttle flight schedule. Parametric analysis of standard space hardware and preliminary shuttle/payload constraints analysis are evaluated, along with the cost impact of low cost standard hardware.

Source record↗

Spring-Blade Impact Tester

Record of energy relationships retrieved from compact, portable tester. Spring-blade impact tester developed to support evaluation of tolerance to damage of struts under consideration for use in Space Station. Approach offers potential for determining damage as function of change in relationship between applied and absorbed energies as applied energy successively increased with each impact. Impactor strikes specimen at moment of maximum kinetic energy after spring blades released from cocked position. Concept also provides potential for measuring behavior during impact, and energy relationships retrievable from oscilloscope traces of impact.

Holmes, Alan M.↗

Fuel Cell Auxiliary Power Study Volume 1: RASER Task Order 5

This study evaluated the feasibility of a hybrid solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) auxiliary power unit (APU) and the impact in a 90-passenger More-Electric Regional Jet application. The study established realistic hybrid SOFC APU system weight and system efficiencies, and evaluated the impact on the aircraft total weight, fuel burn, and emissions from the main engine and the APU during cruise, landing and take-off (LTO) cycle, and at the gate. Although the SOFC APU may be heavier than the current conventional APU, its weight disadvantage can be offset by fuel savings in the higher SOFC APU system efficiencies against the main engine bleed and extraction during cruise. The higher SOFC APU system efficiency compared to the conventional APU on the ground can also provide considerable fuel saving and emissions reduction, particularly at the gate, but is limited by the fuel cell stack thermal fatigue characteristic.

Mak, Audie↗

Unofficial Road Building in the Amazon: Socioeconomic and Biophysical Explanations

Roads have manifold social and environmental impacts, including regional development, social conflicts and habitat fragmentation. 'Road ecology' has emerged as an approach to evaluate the various ecological and hydrological impacts of roads. This article aims to complement road ecology by examining the socio-spatial processes of road building itself. Focusing on the Brazilian Amazon, a heavily-studied context due to forest fragmentation by roads, the authors consider non-state social actors who build 'unofficial roads' for the purpose of gaining access to natural resources to support livelihoods and community development. They examine four case studies of roads with distinct histories in order to explain the socio-spatial processes behind road building in terms of profit maximization, land tenure claims, co-operative and conflictive political ecologies, and constraints as well as opportunities afforded by the biophysical environment. The study cases illustrate the need for a multi-pronged theoretical approach to understanding road building, and call for more attention to the role of non-state actors in unofficial road construction.

Perz, Stephen G.↗

Simulating the Response of a Composite Honeycomb Energy Absorber: Dynamic Crushing of Components and Multi-Terrain Impacts - Part 1

This paper describes the experimental and analytical evaluation of an externally deployable composite honeycomb structure that is designed to attenuate impact energy during helicopter crashes. The concept, designated the Deployable Energy Absorber (DEA), utilizes an expandable Kevlar (Registered Trademark) honeycomb to dissipate kinetic energy through crushing. The DEA incorporates a unique flexible hinge design that allows the honeycomb to be packaged and stowed until needed for deployment. Experimental evaluation of the DEA included dynamic crush tests of multi-cell components and vertical drop tests of a composite fuselage section, retrofitted with DEA blocks, onto multi-terrain. Finite element models of the test articles were developed and simulations were performed using the transient dynamic code, LSDYNA (Registered Trademark). In each simulation, the DEA was represented using shell elements assigned two different material properties: Mat 24, an isotropic piecewise linear plasticity model, and Mat 58, a continuum damage mechanics model used to represent laminated composite fabrics. DEA model development and test-analysis comparisons are presented.

Jackson, Karen E.↗

Part Marking and Identification Materials' for MISSE

The Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE) is being conducted with funding from NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense, in order to evaluate candidate materials and processes for flight hardware. MISSE modules include test specimens used to validate NASA technical standards for part markings exposed to harsh environments in low-Earth orbit and space, including: atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, thermal vacuum cycling, and meteoroid and orbital debris impact. Marked test specimens are evaluated and then mounted in a passive experiment container (PEC) that is affixed to an exterior surface on the International Space Station (ISS). They are exposed to atomic oxygen and/or ultraviolet radiation for a year or more before being retrieved and reevaluated. Criteria include percent contrast, axial uniformity, print growth, error correction, and overall grade. MISSE 1 and 2 (2001-2005), MISSE 3 and 4 (2006-2007), and MISSE 5 (2005-2006) have been completed to date. Acceptable results were found for test specimens marked with Data Matrix(TradeMark) symbols by Intermec Inc. and Robotic Vision Systems Inc using: laser bonding, vacuum arc vapor deposition, gas assisted laser etch, chemical etch, mechanical dot peening, laser shot peening, laser etching, and laser induced surface improvement. MISSE 6 (2008-2009) is exposing specimens marked by DataLase(Registed TradeMark), Chemico technologies Inc., Intermec Inc., and tesa with laser-markable paint, nanocode tags, DataLase and tesa laser markings, and anodized metal labels.

Roxby, Donald↗

Ignition Resistance of Polymeric Materials to Particle Impact in High-Pressure Oxygen

Particle impact ignition has been the primary cause of numerous fires in oxygen systems. This ignition phenomenon is known to occur where particles are present in high-velocity gas, and where impact occurs on a flammable material. The particle impact ignition behavior of many metals has been widely studied, but the particle impact ignition behavior of polymeric materials is relatively unknown. Particle impact ignition in polymeric materials is a concern as these materials are commonly used in component seat and seal applications, where high-velocity particle impacts can occur. This study evaluates several polymeric materials and compares the minimum temperature required for ignition (threshold temperature) of these materials: Kel-F 81 (CTFE), Teflon (PTFE), PEEK, Vespel SP-21, and Nylon 6/6. The materials were configured as targets in the White Sands Test Facility high-velocity particle impact test system. Gaseous oxygen was flowed at 4000 psi and sonic velocity, and the targets were impacted with 2000-micron aluminum 2017 particles. This paper discusses the results of these tests and ranks the materials according to their threshold temperatures at these conditions.

Forsyth, Elliot T.↗

The Tracking Meteogram, an AWIPS II Tool for Time-Series Analysis

A new tool has been developed for the National Weather Service (NWS) Advanced Weather Interactive Processing System (AWIPS) II through collaboration between NASA's Short‐term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) and the NWS Meteorological Development Laboratory (MDL). Referred to as the "Tracking Meteogram", the tool aids NWS forecasters in assessing meteorological parameters associated with moving phenomena. The tool aids forecasters in severe weather situations by providing valuable satellite and radar derived trends such as cloud top cooling rates, radial velocity couplets, reflectivity, and information from ground‐based lightning networks. The Tracking Meteogram tool also aids in synoptic and mesoscale analysis by tracking parameters such as the deepening of surface low pressure systems, changes in surface or upper air temperature, and other properties. The tool provides a valuable new functionality and demonstrates the flexibility and extensibility of the NWS AWIPS II architecture. In 2014, the operational impact of the tool was formally evaluated through participation in the NOAA/NWS Operations Proving Ground (OPG), a risk reduction activity to assess performance and operational impact of new forecasting concepts, tools, and applications. Performance of the Tracking Meteogram Tool during the OPG assessment confirmed that it will be a valuable asset to the operational forecasters. This presentation reviews development of the Tracking Meteogram tool, performance and feedback acquired during the OPG activity, and future goals for continued support and extension to other application areas.

Burks, Jason Eric↗

The interaction between a solid body and viscous fluid by marker-and-cell method

A computational method for solving nonlinear problems relating to impact and penetration of a rigid body into a fluid type medium is presented. The numerical techniques, based on the Marker-and-Cell method, gives the pressure and velocity of the flow field. An important feature in this method is that the force and displacement of the rigid body interacting with the fluid during the impact and sinking phases are evaluated from the boundary stresses imposed by the fluid on the rigid body. A sample problem of low velocity penetration of a rigid block into still water is solved by this method. The computed time histories of the acceleration, pressure, and displacement of the block show food agreement with experimental measurements. A sample problem of high velocity impact of a rigid block into soft clay is also presented.

Cheng, R. Y. K.↗