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At least 883 records · Page 49
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2001

B and F Signal Conditioner Checkout Unit

ATK Thiokol Propulsion, Test Services uses B&F Signal Conditioning units to provide excitation power and shunt calibration information to the data recording systems. Gage measurements such as force, temperature, pressure, strain, etc. are recorded using this equipment. Approximately 2500 reusable instrumentation B&F Signal Conditioning units were purchased over an interval from 1978 to 1988 at a cost of around $1000 each. Through use and over time, the relay contacts on the signal conditioning mode cards have become corroded, resulting in excessive contact resistance. This causes inaccurate and inconsistent calibration data and could jeopardize the test results. These signal conditioning cards are needed for product testing for an estimated five more years, therefore, it is necessary to develop a solution to isolate the malfunctioning units for repair. The current screening method requires Test Area technicians to check cards manually, however the connections and measurements required for this process are inefficient and time consuming. To resolve this problem, funding was approved to design and build two B&F Signal Conditioner Checkout Units. Each unit will allow technicians to test relay contact resistance on signal conditioning mode cards before they are installed for data collection procedures. This tool will allow Test Area to resolve calibration accuracy problems and extend the life of the data acquisition equipment, as well as save troubleshooting time for the technicians.

Magleby, Alyssa↗
NASA NTRS2014

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of a Composite Non-Cylindrical Pressurized Aircraft Fuselage Structure

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project aims to develop aircraft technologies enabling significant fuel burn and community noise reductions. Small incremental changes to the conventional metallic alloy-based 'tube and wing' configuration are not sufficient to achieve the desired metrics. One of the airframe concepts that might dramatically improve aircraft performance is a composite-based hybrid wing body configuration. Such a concept, however, presents inherent challenges stemming from, among other factors, the necessity to transfer wing loads through the entire center fuselage section which accommodates a pressurized cabin confined by flat or nearly flat panels. This paper discusses a nonlinear finite element analysis of a large-scale test article being developed to demonstrate that the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure concept can meet these challenging demands of the next generation airframes. There are specific reasons why geometrically nonlinear analysis may be warranted for the hybrid wing body flat panel structure. In general, for sufficiently high internal pressure and/or mechanical loading, energy related to the in-plane strain may become significant relative to the bending strain energy, particularly in thin-walled areas such as the minimum gage skin extensively used in the structure under analysis. To account for this effect, a geometrically nonlinear strain-displacement relationship is needed to properly couple large out-of-plane and in-plane deformations. Depending on the loading, this nonlinear coupling mechanism manifests itself in a distinct manner in compression- and tension-dominated sections of the structure. Under significant compression, nonlinear analysis is needed to accurately predict loss of stability and postbuckled deformation. Under significant tension, the nonlinear effects account for suppression of the out-of-plane deformation due to in-plane stretching. By comparing the present results with the previously published preliminary linear analysis, it is demonstrated in the present paper that neglecting nonlinear effects for the structure and loads of interest can lead to appreciable loss in analysis fidelity.

Przekop, Adam↗
DOE OSTI2021

Data Processing Package for Cyclic Integrated Reversible Bending Fatigue Testing

A data processing software package has been introduced. The package was developed using MATLAB with the aid of the Curve Fitting Toolbox. The package is made up of four modules: pre-processing, data processing for static testing, data processing for monitoring, and data processing for measurements. CIRFT data are structured with multiple levels of architecture involving group, specimen, session, and scan/block. The degree of complexity of the data structure depends on whether a test is static or cyclic.The test results are presented in figures, scatter plots, and tables. For static testing, the output in tables provides bending mechanical properties and characteristic points of moment–curvature relation: flexural rigidities in linear segments of loading and unloading stages, intersection points between characteristic segments of the curve, and equivalent stress and strain quantities. For cyclic testing, the table output lists control and fatigue life and responsive/dependent quantities including moment, curvature, flexural rigidity, flexural hysteresis, rigidity phase angle, and equivalent stresses and strains. In addition, derivatives such as half-gage length and sensor spacing correction are included. The output also provides standard deviations of the reported quantities when they are applicable or available. The data processing package can serve as a fundamental characterization tool in mechanical study of materials. The package is intended primarily for data processing for the CIRFT process and can also be used in applications for which similar testing requirements exist.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1992

Multidisciplinary design integration system for a supersonic transport aircraft

An aircraft preliminary design system which provides the multidisciplinary communications and couplings between several engineering disciplines is described. A primary benefit of this system is to demonstrate advanced technology multidisciplinary design integration methodologies. The current version includes the disciplines of aerodynamics and structures. Contributing engineering disciplines are coupled using the Global Sensitivity Equation approach to influence the global design optimization problem. A high speed civil transport configuration is used for configuration trade studies. Forty four independent design variables are used to control the cross-sectional areas of wing rib and spar caps and the thicknesses of wingskincover panels. A total of 300 stress, strain, buckling and displacement behavioral constraints and minimum gages on the design variables were used to optimize the idealized wing structure. The goal of the designs to resize the wing cover panels and internal structure for minimum mass.

Dovi, A. R.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Fiber Optic Sensors for Smart Materials and Structures

In this paper we describe recently developed fiber sensors which are capable of monitoring the health of smart-structures. The unobstrusive geometry of these sensors make them an excellent choice for embedding the sensor in composite materials to measure internal states of strain in structures and materials. Some of these sensors have gage lengths that can be tailored from tens of microns to many meters. We will describe various demodulation schemes (Pseudo-Heterodyne, Synthetic-Heterodyne, Homodyne, Differential-Cross Multiplier, and Single Channel Phase-Tracker) to obtain high bandwidth measurements, enabling measurement of static to high frequency impact generated strains with a dynamic response exceeding tens of thousands of microstrains. In addition, we will show that we can tailor the fiber sensor to either measure only strain and reject temperature response or measure only the temperature, or measure both temperature and strain simultaneously. We will also demonstrate the ability to measure multiple strain components inside a host simultaneously using a single fiber sensor embedded in the host using a certain sensor type and transverse strain immunity using another sensor type. Additionally we will show the ability to measure temperature up to 100 C using fiber optic sensors.

Singh, H.↗
NASA NTRS1995

A study of elevated temperature testing techniques for the fatigue behavior of PMCS: Application to T650-35/AMB21

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the mechanical behavior of a T650-35/AMB21 eight-harness satin weave polymer composite system. Emphasis was placed on the development and refinement of techniques used in elevated temperature uniaxial PMC testing. Issues such as specimen design, gripping, strain measurement, and temperature control and measurement were addressed. Quasi-static tensile and fatigue properties (R(sub sigma) = 0.1) were examined at room and elevated temperatures. Stiffness degradation and strain accumulation during fatigue cycling were recorded to monitor damage progression and provide insight for future analytical modeling efforts. Accomplishments included an untabbed dog-bone specimen design which consistently failed in the gage section, accurate temperature control and assessment, and continuous in-situ strain measurement capability during fatigue loading at elevated temperatures. Finally, strain accumulation and stiffness degradation during fatigue cycling appeared to be good indicators of damage progression.

Gyekenyesi, Andrew L.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Characterization of Al-Cu-Mg-Ag Alloy RX226-T8 Plate

Aluminum-copper-magnesium-silver (Al-Cu-Mg-Ag) alloys that were developed for thermal stability also offer attractive ambient temperature strength-toughness combinations, and therefore, can be considered for a broad range of airframe structural applications. The current study evaluated Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloy RX226-T8 in plate gages and compared performance with sheet gage alloys of similar composition. Uniaxial tensile properties, plane strain initiation fracture toughness, and plane stress tearing resistance of RX226-T8 were examined at ambient temperature as a function of orientation and thickness location in the plate. Properties were measured near the surface and at the mid-plane of the plate. Tensile strengths were essentially isotropic, with variations in yield and ultimate tensile strengths of less than 2% as a function of orientation and through-thickness location. However, ductility varied by more than 15% with orientation. Fracture toughness was generally higher at the mid-plane and greater for the L-T orientation, although the differences were small near the surface of the plate. Metallurgical analysis indicated that the microstructure was primarily recrystallized with weak texture and was uniform through the plate with the exception of a fine-grained layer near the surface of the plate. Scanning electron microscope analysis revealed Al-Cu-Mg second phase particles which varied in composition and were primarily located on grain boundaries parallel to the rolling direction. Fractography of toughness specimens for both plate locations and orientations revealed that fracture occurred predominantly by transgranular microvoid coalescence. Introduction High-strength, low-density Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys were initially developed to replace conventional 2000 (Al-Cu-Mg) and 7000 (Al-Zn-Cu-Mg) series aluminum alloys for aircraft structural applications [1]. During the High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) program, improvements in thermal stability were demonstrated for candidate aircraft wing and fuselage skin materials through the addition of silver to Al-Cu-Mg alloys based on Al 2519 chemistry [2]. Thermal stability of the resulting Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys, C415-T8 and C416-T8, was due to co-precipitation of the thermally stable . (AlCu) and ' (Al2Cu) strengthening phases [1-4]. The strength and toughness behavior was investigated for these alloys produced as 0.090-inch thick rolled sheet in the T8 condition and after various thermal exposures. The mechanical properties were shown to be competitive with conventional aircraft alloys, 2519-T8 and 2618-T8 [2]. During the Integral Airframe Structure (IAS) program, advanced aluminum alloys were examined for use in an integrally stiffened airframe structure where the skin and stiffeners would be machined from plate and extruded frames would be mechanically attached (see Figure 1) [5]. Advantages of integrally stiffened structure include reduced part count, and reduced assembly times compared to conventional built-up airframe structure. The near-surface properties of a thick plate are of significance for a machined integrally stiffened airframe structure since this represents the skin location. Properties measured at the mid-plane of the plate are more representative of the stiffener web. RX226 was developed to exploit strength-toughness improvements and thermal stability benefits of Al-Cu-Mg-Ag alloys in plate gages. This study evaluated the microstructure and properties of three gages of plate produced in the T8 condition.

Lach, Cynthia L.↗
NASA NTRS1992

An evaluation of the Neuber and Glinka relations for monotonic loading

The abilities of six models of notch root behavior are evaluated by comparing them with experimental results over a range of constraints. The models studied are the Neuber model, the Walker modified Neuber model, the Glinka models for plane strain and for plane stress, and two modifications of the Glinka models. Comparisons are made with strains measured at the roots of notches by resistance gages or by laser-based interferometry.

Sharpe, W. N., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1941

Tests on Stiffened Circular Cylinders

Compressive tests were made of two series of stiffened circular cylindrical shells under axial load. All the shells were 16 inches in diameter by 24 inches in length and were made of aluminum-alloy sheet curved to the proper radius and welded with one longitudinal weld. The ratios of diameter to thickness of shell wall in the two series of specimens were 258 and 572. Strains were measured with Huggenberger tensometers at a number of gage lines on the stiffeners and shell. The results of these tests indicate that a spacing of circumferential stiffeners equal to 0.67 times the radius is too great to strengthen the shell wall appreciably. The results are not inclusive enough to show the optimum in stiffeners. Plain cylinders without stiffeners developed ultimate strengths approximately half as great as the buckling strengths computed by the equation resulting from the classical theory and slightly greater than those computed by Donnell's large deflection theory.

Holt, Marshall↗
NASA NTRS1991

An evaluation of strain measuring devices for ceramic composites

A series of tensile tests was conducted on SiC/reaction bonded silicon nitrides (RBSN) composites using different methods of strain measurement. The tests were used to find the optimum strain sensing device for use with continuous fiber reinforced ceramic matrix composites in ambient and high temperature environments. Bonded resistance gages were found to offer excellent performance for room temperature tests. The clip-on gage offers the same performance, but less time is required for mounting it to the specimen. Low contact force extensometers track the strain with acceptable results at high specimen temperatures. Silicon carbide rods with knife edges are preferred. The edges must be kept sharp. The strain measuring devices should be mounted on the flat side of the specimen. This is in contrast to mounting on the rough thickness side.

Gyekenyesi, John Z.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Benchmark cyclic plastic notch strain measurements

Plastic strains at the roots of notched specimens of Inconel 718 subjected to tension-compression cycling at 650 C are reported. These strains were measured with a laser-based technique over a gage length of 0.1 mm and are intended to serve as 'benchmark' data for further development of experimental, analytical, and computational approaches. The specimens were 250 mm by 2.5 mm in the test section with double notches of 4.9 mm radius subjected to axial loading sufficient to cause yielding at the notch root on the tensile portion of the first cycle. The tests were run for 1000 cycles at 10 cpm or until cracks initiated at the notch root. The experimental techniques are described, and then representative data for the various load spectra are presented. All the data for each cycle of every test are available on floppy disks from NASA.

Sharpe, W. N., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1990

High-temperature tensile properties of fiber reinforced reaction bonded silicon nitride

Measurements of tensile properties of unidirectional silicon carbide fiber-reinforced reaction-bonded silicon nitride (SiC/RBSN) composite specimens were carried out in air at 25, 1300, and 1500 C, using a new testing technique and a specially designed gripping system that minimizes bending moment and assures that failure always occurred in the gage section. The material was found to display metallike stress-strain behavior at all temperatures tested, and a noncatastrophic failure beyond the matrix fracture. The tensile properties were found to be temperature dependent, with the values of the ultimate tensile strength decreasing with temperature, from 543 MPa at 25 C to 169 at 1500 C.

Jablonski, David A.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Prestraining and Its Influence on Subsequent Fatigue Life

An experimental program was conducted to study the damaging effects of tensile and compressive prestrains on the fatigue life of nickel-base, Inconel 718 superalloy at room temperature. To establish baseline fatigue behavior, virgin specimens with a solid uniform gage section were fatigued to failure under fully-reversed strain-control. Additional specimens were prestrained to 2 percent, 5 percent, and 10 percent (engineering strains) in the tensile direction and to 2 percent (engineering strain) in the compressive direction under stroke-control, and were subsequently fatigued to failure under fully-reversed strain-control. Experimental results are compared with estimates of remaining fatigue lives (after prestraining) using three life prediction approaches: (1) the Linear Damage Rule; (2) the Linear Strain and Life Fraction Rule; and (3) the nonlinear Damage Curve Approach. The Smith-Watson-Topper parameter was used to estimate fatigue lives in the presence of mean stresses. Among the cumulative damage rules investigated, best remaining fatigue life predictions were obtained with the nonlinear Damage Curve Approach.

Halford, Gary R.↗
NASA NTRS1998

High Temperature Mechanical Characterization of Ceramic Matrix Composites

A high temperature mechanical characterization laboratory has been assembled at NASA Lewis Research Center. One contribution of this work is to test ceramic matrix composite specimens in tension in environmental extremes. Two high temperature tensile testing systems were assembled. The systems were assembled based on the performance and experience of other laboratories and meeting projected service conditions for the materials in question. The systems use frames with an electric actuator and a center screw. A PC based data acquisition and analysis system is used to collect and analyze the data. Mechanical extensometers are used to measure specimen strain. Thermocouples, placed near the specimen, are used to measure the specimen gage section temperature. The system for testing in air has a resistance element furnace with molybdenum disilicide elements and pneumatic grips with water cooling attached to hydraulic alignment devices. The system for testing in an inert gas has a graphite resistance element furnace in a chamber with rigidly mounted, water cooled, hydraulically actuated grips. Unidirectional SiC fiber reinforced reaction bonded Si3N4 and triaxially woven, two dimensional, SiC fiber reinforced enhanced SiC composites were tested in unidirectional tension. Theories for predicting the Young's modulus, modulus near the ultimate strength, first matrix cracking stress, and ultimate strength were applied and evaluated for suitability in predicting the mechanical behavior of SiC/RBSN and enhanced SiC/SiC composites. The SiC/RBSN composite exhibited pseudo tough behavior (increased area under the stress/strain curve) from 22 C to 1500 C. The rule of mixtures provides a good estimate of the Young's modulus of the SiC/RBSN composite using the constituent properties from room temperature to 1440 C for short term static tensile tests in air or nitrogen. The rule of mixtures significantly overestimates the secondary modulus near the ultimate strength. The ACK theory provides the best approximation of the first matrix cracking stress when residual stresses are ignored. The theory of Cao and Thouless, based on Weibull statistics, gave the best prediction for the composite ultimate strength. The enhanced SiC/SiC composite exhibited nonlinear stress/strain behavior from 24 C to 1370 C in air with increased ultimate strain when compared to monolithic SiC. The theory of Yang and Chou with the assumption of a frictional fiber/matrix interface provided the best estimate of the Young's modulus. The theory of Cao and Thouless gave the best estimate for the ultimate strength.

Gyekenyesi, John Z.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Environmental and strain rate effects on graphite/epoxy composites

The hygrothermal characterization of unidirectional graphite/epoxy composites over a range of strain rates was investigated. Special techniques developed for such hygrothermal characterization are also described. The mechanical properties of the composite material were obtained and analyzed by means of a time-temperature-moisture superposition principle. The results show the following: (1) the embedded gage technique was thoroughly examined and found to be appropriate for both hygrothermal expansion and mechanical strain measurements; (2) all transverse properties were found to decrease with increasing temperature and moisture content; and (3) ultimate transverse properties were found to increase with strain rate at low temperatures but follow an opposite trend at high temperatures compared to dry specimens.

Peimandis, Konstantinos↗
NASA NTRS1940

Extension of Pack Method for Compressive Tests

The pack method for determining compressive stress-strain graphs described in NACA Report No. 649 has been modified to extend it's application to thinner gages and stronger materials. The principal modifications consisted in the provision of additional support against instability cementing the specimens of the pack together with fused shellac and the provision of special clamps to hold the specimens together while the test is in progress. The shellac was found to increase the buckling load of the pack without any appreciable effect on the compressive stress-strain graph of the material. The extended pack method described in this note has made possible the application of stresses in excess of 220 kips per square inch to sheet material having a thickness of only 0.02 inch.

Aitchison, C S↗