Aircraft Damage Tolerance Analysis 

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) structural engineers perform damage tolerance analysis for military and commercial aircraft to give clients the information necessary to safely and effectively manage the structural health of their fleets. SwRI has expertise using state-of-the-art tools such as AFGROW, NASGRO®, and StressCheck along with significant experience correlating analyses to crack growth test results. Proficiency with automating these tools allows for efficient and timely results.

Capabilities

• Crack growth analysis software tools (AFGROW, NASGRO, CRACKS, etc.)
• Stress intensity calculation using finite element and boundary element tools (StressCheck, NASBEM, etc.)
• Correlation to spectrum test results from coupon and full-scale tests to determine crack growth rates and crack growth retardation due to spectrum effects
• Automation for efficient and accurate analysis of large numbers of locations and/or variation of parameters
• Stress determination using hand stress analysis and finite element tools such as FEMAP and NASTRAN
• Risk and probabilistic crack growth analysis using state-of-the-art tools such as PROF and NESSUS
• Material, component and full-scale testing
• Damage tolerance training/short course

Parametric FEM for countersunk hole crack stress intensity factors

Experience

SwRI has performed damage tolerance and fatigue analysis for U.S. military aircraft (A-10, F-5, F-16, T-37, T-38), and for foreign military and commercial clients.

Cracked aircraft structure image overlaid on FEA stress gradients

Facilities and Analysis Tools

SwRI uses state-of-the-art crack growth analysis tools NASGRO and AFGROW, as well as finite element modeling tools such as NASTRAN, FEMAP, and StressCheck for the determination of stresses and stress intensities. SwRI has facilities to test everything from coupons to components to full-scale aircraft.

Spectrum test correlation using AFGROW for determination of retardation parameter

Aircraft structure with fatigue crack growing from radius to fastener hole

This flyer was published in October 2007. For more information about Aircraft Damage Tolerance Analysis, contact Luciano Smith, Research Engineer, Phone (210) 522-6857, or David H. Wieland, Principal Engineer, Phone (210) 522-3864, Fax (210) 522-3042, Mechanical Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

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