Some Aspects of the Damage Tolerance Analysis of the LASTA Training Aircraft Structures

 

Stevan Maksimović

Ivana Vasović

Mirko Maksimović

Mirjana Đurić

 

This work focuses on developing an efficient computation method for a strength analysis of aircraft structural components with respect to fatigue and fracture mechanics. Special attention is paid to developing an efficient computation method for the crack growth analysis of damaged structural components. For that purpose, we will define computation procedures for total fatigue life estimation of constructions under cyclic loads of constant amplitude and load spectrum. A general approach to this investigation is based on the application of Strain Energy Density (SED) in residual life estimation of structural elements with initial cracks. To define analytic expressions of the stress intensity factors necessary in the crack growth analysis, singular finite elements are used here. The verification of the proposed computation procedures for fatigue life estimation will be supported with corresponding experimental tests for the determination of low-cyclic fatigue properties of materials and corresponding parameters of fracture mechanics including fatigue tests of representative aircraft structural components.

Key words: aircraft, training aircraft, aircraft structure, fracture mechanics, material fatigue, fatigue strength, finite element method, life estimation.