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At least 1,207 records · Page 67
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

The Behavior of a Stitched Composite Large-Scale Multi-Bay Pressure Box

NASA has created the Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project to develop technologies to reduce impact of aviation on the environment. A critical aspect of this pursuit is the development of a lighter, more robust airframe to enable the introduction of unconventional aircraft configurations. NASA and The Boeing Company have worked together to develop a structural concept that is lightweight and an advancement beyond state-of-the-art composite structures. The Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) is an integrally stiffened panel design where elements are stitched together and designed to maintain residual load-carrying capabilities under a variety of damage scenarios. With the PRSEUS concept, through-the-thickness stitches are applied through dry fabric prior to resin infusion, and replace fasteners throughout each integral panel. Through-the-thickness reinforcement at discontinuities, such as along flange edges, has been shown to suppress delamination and turn cracks, which expands the design space and leads to lighter designs. The pultruded rod provides stiffening away from the more vulnerable skin surface and improves bending stiffness. A series of building block tests were evaluated to explore the fundamental assumptions related to the capability and advantages of PRSEUS panels. The final step in the building block series of tests is an 80%-scale pressure box representing a portion of the center section of a Hybrid Wing Body (HWB) transport aircraft. The testing of this test article under maneuver and internal pressure loading conditions is the subject of this paper. The experimental evaluation of this article, along with the other building block tests and the accompanying analyses, has demonstrated the viability of a PRSEUS center body for the HWB vehicle. Additionally, much of the development effort is also applicable to traditional tube-and-wing aircraft, advanced aircraft configurations, and other structures where weight and through-the-thickness strength are design considerations.

Jegley, Dawn C.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Damage Tolerance Assessment of Laser Clad Repairs of Coarse Grain Ti-6Al-4V

Background: Laser cladding offers a promising approach to repairing aviation components, with the ability to restore the geometric shape and the static and fatigue strength. Objective: The damage tolerance of a coarse grain Ti-6Al-4 V material is assessed via three sets of samples: (i) baseline, (ii) laser clad repaired, and (iii) laser cladding followed by heat treatment. Method: The specimens were subjected to fatigue loading using a marker band technique, in which cracks initiated from pre-defined laser slots and the small crack growth rates were measured by quantitative fractography. Additional characterization was performed on these samples, including hardness measurements, microstructure analysis, and multimodal residual stress analyses. Results: The region of the specimen undergoing laser cladding exhibited higher hardness values and a compressive residual stress, based on the slitting method. The samples subjected to heat treatment after cladding displayed negligible differences in grain size and minimal residual stress relaxation. Conclusions: The results demonstrated significant variability, with data demonstrating that cracks in the laser clad region (exhibiting the largest compressive residual stress) grew faster than cracks in the substrate region of the sample or in the baseline cases. Finally, these counterintuitive results are rationalized with additional analyses from synchrotron-based energy dispersive X-ray diffraction and high energy X-ray diffraction, demonstrating significant spatial variability in the residual elastic strains in the millimeter-sized prior β grains within the material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ductility mechanisms in complex concentrated refractory alloys from atomistic fracture simulations

The striking variation in damage tolerance among refractory complex concentrated alloys is examined through the analysis of atomistic fracture simulations, contrasting behavior in elemental Nb with that in brittle NbMoTaW and ductile Nb45Ta25Ti15Hf15. We employ machine-learning interatomic potentials (MLIPs), including a new MLIP developed for NbTaTiHf, in atomistic simulations of crack tip extension mechanisms based on analyses of atomistic fracture resistance curves. While the initial behavior of sharp cracks shows good correspondence with the Rice theory, fracture resistance curves reveal marked changes in fracture modes for the complex alloys as crack extension proceeds. In NbMoTaW, compositional complexity appears to promote dislocation nucleation relative to pure Nb, despite theoretical predictions that the alloy should be relatively more brittle. In Nb45Ta25Ti15Hf15, alloying alters the fracture mode compared to elemental Nb, promoting crack tip blunting and enhancing resistance to crack propagation.

Computational methods↗
NASA NTRS1985

Fatigue cracking of aluminum under spectrum loading at various humidities

The effect of moisture on Stage I fatigue in aluminum was studied under constant amplitude loading and under a severe log-normal spectrum loading. Crack initiation and early crack growth was monitored using accurate specimen compliance measurements statistically generated using computer-aided data acquisition and analysis. Fatigue strength in aluminum was found to be greatly reduced by humidity under both constant amplitude and log-normal spectrum loading. Use of Miner's theory of cumulative damage to predict the outcome of the spectrum tests, given the results of the constant amplitude tests, was investigated. A systematic pattern of deviation from Miner's theory was found, which was also a function of the humidity level.

Chappell, D. P.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of edge damage induced on REBCO superconducting tape by mechanical slitting

Abstract Rare-earth barium-copper-oxide (REBCO) superconductors are high-field superconductors fabricated in a tape geometry that can be utilized in magnet applications well in excess of 20 T. Due to the multilayer architecture of the tape, delamination is one cause of mechanical failure in REBCO tapes. During a mechanical slitting step in the manufacturing process, edge cracks can be introduced into the tape. These cracks are thought to be potential initiation sites for crack propagation in the tapes when subjected to stresses in the fabrication and operation of magnet systems. We sought to understand which layers were the mechanically weakest by locating the crack initiation layer and identifying the geometrical conditions of the slitter that promoted or suppressed crack formation. The described cracking was investigated by selectively etching and characterizing each layer with scanning electron microscopy, laser confocal microscopy, and digital image analysis. Our analysis showed that the average crack lengths in the REBCO, LaMnO 3 (LMO) and Al 2 O 3 layers were 34 μ m, 28 μ m, and 15 μ m, respectively. The total number of cracks measured in 30 mm of wire length was between 3000 and 5700 depending on the layer and their crack densities were 102 cracks mm −1 for REBCO, 108 cracks mm −1 for LMO, and 183 cracks mm −1 for Al 2 O 3 . These results indicated that there are separate crack initiation mechanisms for the REBCO and the LMO layers, as detailed in the paper. With a better understanding of the crack growth behavior exhibited by REBCO tapes, the fabrication process can be improved to provide a more mechanically stable and cost-effective superconductor.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
NASA NTRS1977

Fretting of AISI 9310 and selected fretting resistant surface treatments

Fretting wear experiments were conducted with uncoated AISI 9310 mating surfaces, and with combinations incorporating a selected coating to one of the mating surfaces. Wear measurements and SEM observations indicated that surface fatigue, as made evident by spallation and surface crack formation, is an important mechanism in promoting fretting wear to uncoated 9310. Increasing humidity resulted in accelerated fretting, and a very noticeable difference in nature of the fretting debris. Of the coatings evaluated, aluminum bronze with a polyester additive was most effective at reducing wear and minimizing fretting damage to the mating uncoated surface, by means of a selflubricating film that developed on the fretting surfaces. Chromium plate performed as an effective protective coating, itself resisting fretting and not accelerating damage to the uncoated surface.

Bill, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Fretting of AISI 9310 and selected fretting resistant surface treatments

Fretting wear experiments were conducted with uncoated AISI 9310 mating surfaces, and with combinations incorporating a selected coating to one of the mating surfaces. Wear measurements and SEM observations indicated that surface fatigue, as made evident by spallation and surface crack formation, is an important mechanism in promoting fretting wear to uncoated 9310. Increasing humidity resulted in accelerated fretting, and a very noticeable difference in nature of the fretting debris. Of the coatings evaluated, alumimum bronze with a polyester additive was most effective at reducing wear and minimizing fretting damage to the mating uncoated surface, by means of a self-lubricating film that developed on the fretting surfaces. Chromium plate performed as an effective protective coating, itself resisting fretting and not accelerating damage to the uncoated surface.

Bill, R. C.↗
NASA NTRS1997

Fatigue Reliability of Gas Turbine Engine Structures

The results of an investigation are described for fatigue reliability in engine structures. The description consists of two parts. Part 1 is for method development. Part 2 is a specific case study. In Part 1, the essential concepts and practical approaches to damage tolerance design in the gas turbine industry are summarized. These have evolved over the years in response to flight safety certification requirements. The effect of Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) methods on these methods is also reviewed. Assessment methods based on probabilistic fracture mechanics, with regard to both crack initiation and crack growth, are outlined. Limit state modeling techniques from structural reliability theory are shown to be appropriate for application to this problem, for both individual failure mode and system-level assessment. In Part 2, the results of a case study for the high pressure turbine of a turboprop engine are described. The response surface approach is used to construct a fatigue performance function. This performance function is used with the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) to determine the probability of failure and the sensitivity of the fatigue life to the engine parameters for the first stage disk rim of the two stage turbine. A hybrid combination of regression and Monte Carlo simulation is to use incorporate time dependent random variables. System reliability is used to determine the system probability of failure, and the sensitivity of the system fatigue life to the engine parameters of the high pressure turbine. 'ne variation in the primary hot gas and secondary cooling air, the uncertainty of the complex mission loading, and the scatter in the material data are considered.

Cruse, Thomas A.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Compression After Impact on Honeycomb Core Sandwich Panels With Thin Facesheets: Experiments - Part 1

A two part research study has been completed on the topic of compression after impact (CAI) of thin facesheet honeycomb core sandwich panels. The research has focused on both experiments and analysis in an effort to establish and validate a new understanding of the damage tolerance of these materials. Part one, the subject of the current paper, is focused on the experimental testing. Of interest are sandwich panels, with aerospace applications, which consist of very thin, woven S2-fiberglass (with MTM45-1 epoxy) facesheets adhered to a Nomex honeycomb core. Two sets of specimens, which were identical with the exception of the density of the honeycomb core, were tested. Static indentation and low velocity impact using a drop tower are used to study damage formation in these materials. A series of highly instrumented CAI tests was then completed. New techniques used to observe CAI response and failure include high speed video photography, as well as digital image correlation (DIC) for full-field deformation measurement. Two CAI failure modes, indentation propagation, and crack propagation, were observed. From the results, it can be concluded that the CAI failure mode of these panels depends solely on the honeycomb core density.

McQuigg, Thomas D.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Analysis of a unidirectional, symmetric buffer strip laminate with damage

A method for predicting the fracture behavior of hybrid buffer strip laminates is presented in which the classical shear-lag model is used to represent the shear stress distribution between adjacent fibers. The method is demonstrated by applying it to a notched graphite/epoxy laminate, and the results show clearly the manner in which the most efficient combination of buffer strip properties can be selected in order to arrest the crack. The ultimate failure stress of the laminate is plotted vs the buffer strip width. It is shown that in the case of graphite-epoxy and S-glass epoxy laminates, the optimum buffer strip spacing to width ratio should be about four to one.

Dharani, L. R.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Creep fatigue life prediction for engine hot section materials (isotropic)

The first two years of a two-phase program aimed at improving the high temperature crack initiation life prediction technology for gas turbine hot section components are discussed. In Phase 1 (baseline) effort, low cycle fatigue (LCF) models, using a data base generated for a cast nickel base gas turbine hot section alloy (B1900+Hf), were evaluated for their ability to predict the crack initiation life for relevant creep-fatigue loading conditions and to define data required for determination of model constants. The variables included strain range and rate, mean strain, strain hold times and temperature. None of the models predicted all of the life trends within reasonable data requirements. A Cycle Damage Accumulation (CDA) was therefore developed which follows an exhaustion of material ductility approach. Material ductility is estimated based on observed similarities of deformation structure between fatigue, tensile and creep tests. The cycle damage function is based on total strain range, maximum stress and stress amplitude and includes both time independent and time dependent components. The CDA model accurately predicts all of the trends in creep-fatigue life with loading conditions. In addition, all of the CDA model constants are determinable from rapid cycle, fully reversed fatigue tests and monotonic tensile and/or creep data.

Moreno, Vito↗
NASA NTRS1988

Introduction to the analysis of delamination related fracture processes in composites

This research concerns the analysis and prediction of delamination damage that occurs in composite structures on the sublaminate scale - that is, the scale of individual plies or groups of plies. The objective was to develop analytical models for fixed-mode delamination in composites. These include: (1) the influence of residual thermal and moisture strains; (2) local or transverse crack tip delamination originating at the tip of transverse matrix cracks; and (3) delamination in tapered composite under tensile loading. Computer codes based on the analytical models were developed and comparisons of predictions with available experimental and analytical results in the literature were performed.

Armanios, Erian A.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Maintaining the safety of an aging fleet of aircraft

The current status of the Douglas Aging Fleet is examined in light of increasing concern for the possibility of the onset of widespread cracking and recent industry activity to minimize the concern. A fleet monitoring program together with an augmented maintenance program is proposed as a possible means to reduce the concern. Six candidate options for maintenance program augmentation are examined which have been shown to be effective in detection of widespread fatigue damage. A brief example of how this system might be applied to the DC-9 Fleet is presented.

Aging Aircraft↗
DOE OSTI2026

The effect of high-power transient events on tungsten and tungsten coatings used for radio frequency launcher applications

High-temperature plasma-facing material coatings used for radio frequency (RF) launchers need to be robust enough to survive RF breakdown arcing or other transient events from the plasma (e.g., an edge localized mode) without causing a catastrophic failure of the coating. High-power transient effects are being explored by using an RF-induced vacuum arc to determine the robustness of tungsten coatings made by a variety of manufacturing methods. A 1/4-wavelength resonant section of vacuum transmission line terminated with an open circuit electrode structure with a well-defined electric field (30-60 kV/mm) produces repeatable arcing conditions. The initial focus is on tungsten as a plasma-facing material, including sintered tungsten, tungsten coatings on steel produced via physical vapor deposition (PVD), and functionally graded tungsten/steel coatings deposited by low-pressure plasma-spraying (LPPS). Thin PVD coatings (1-2 microns) fail catastrophically from an arc and result in severe delamination of the coating. The arc-induced damage of thicker coatings, such as those made via LPPS, tend to be restricted to the top few microns of the surface. Arcing often initiates on sharp surface microstructures and causes localized melting of tungsten at the surface of all the materials studied and results in resolidified melt pools with surface cracks. The resolidified surface results in a reduction in overall deuterium retention when exposed to typical RF plasma sheath conditions.

Caughman, John [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000206091164)↗
NASA NTRS2001

Room Temperature Creep Of SiC/SiC Composites

During a recent experimental study, time dependent deformation was observed for a damaged Hi-Nicalon reinforced, BN interphase, chemically vapor infiltrated SiC matrix composites subjected to static loading at room temperature. The static load curves resembled primary creep curves. In addition, acoustic emission was monitored during the test and significant AE activity was recorded while maintaining a constant load, which suggested matrix cracking or interfacial sliding. For similar composites with carbon interphases, little or no time dependent deformation was observed. Evidently, exposure of the BN interphase to the ambient environment resulted in a reduction in the interfacial mechanical properties, i.e. interfacial shear strength and/or debond energy. These results were in qualitative agreement with observations made by Eldridge of a reduction in interfacial shear stress with time at room temperature as measured by fiber push-in experiments.

Morscher, Gregory N.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Applicability of a Crack-Detection System for Use in Rotor Disk Spin Test Experiments Being Evaluated

Engine makers and aviation safety government institutions continue to have a strong interest in monitoring the health of rotating components in aircraft engines to improve safety and to lower maintenance costs. To prevent catastrophic failure (burst) of the engine, they use nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and major overhauls for periodic inspections to discover any cracks that might have formed. The lowest cost fluorescent penetrant inspection NDE technique can fail to disclose cracks that are tightly closed during rest or that are below the surface. The NDE eddy current system is more effective at detecting both crack types, but it requires careful setup and operation and only a small portion of the disk can be practically inspected. So that sensor systems can sustain normal function in a severe environment, health-monitoring systems require the sensor system to transmit a signal if a crack detected in the component is above a predetermined length (but below the length that would lead to failure) and lastly to act neutrally upon the overall performance of the engine system and not interfere with engine maintenance operations. Therefore, more reliable diagnostic tools and high-level techniques for detecting damage and monitoring the health of rotating components are very essential in maintaining engine safety and reliability and in assessing life.

Abdul-Aziz, Ali↗
DOE OSTI2022

In-situ imaging of flexure-induced fracture in tape-laminate composites using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography

Here, this study presents development of an in-situ flexure test for imaging progressive inter- and intralaminar fracture in tape-laminate composites using X-ray computed tomography (CT). The intent of this test is to provide detailed experimental observations of ply-level damage that can be used to validate existing, and develop new, progressive damage analysis (PDA) tools. The test consists of a vertically mounted specimen which is flexed using two eccentric compressive loads using an in-situ uniaxial load stage. The flexure specimen contains a starter notch mid-span which promotes initiation of composite failure within the X-ray field of view. Specimens with two different laminate stacking sequences were tested, imaged, analyzed. For a quasi-isotropic laminate with large angle changes between adjacent plies, there was near simultaneous growth of transverse cracks and delaminations below the midplane of the laminate. For a laminate with small angles between adjacent plies, there was extensive formation of transverse crack networks which penetrated the laminate thickness without delamination growth. In addition to imaging fracture, the X-ray CT data from both specimen types were used to quantify the variability in thickness and analyze the local orientation of individual plies. Overall, the proposed test and the image-data analysis methodology provided an important insight into the fracture processes in tape laminates and highlights the inherent ply-level geometrical variabilities that should be accounted for in PDA simulations.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS1985

Results of examination of materials from the solar maximum recovery mission

Four years and two months in space at 310 nautical miles orbit has produced different effects on Kapton, silver/Teflon, and on aluminum. Kapton, a polyimide, lost up to 31% in thickness, though other locations showed much less loss. The degradation of silver/Teflon was drastic but very localized, due perhaps to the formation of silver oxide, Ag2O, through cracks in the protective Inconel layer which exposed the silver to the oxygen atom environment. Penetrations of the thin aluminum sheet in the form of thermal louvers and also of the thermal blanket material due to unknown particles were unexpected, making the debris a potentially serious problem because of the threat of damage to components.

Park, J. J.↗