Spacecraft sustained load fracture control

The opportunities for sustained load fracture control in spacecraft are indicated. Emphasis is given to verification by small-scale laboratory testing.

Prediction of fatigue crack growth

As an introduction the practical significance of fatigue crack growth life prediction is related to the service life, the inspection period and the fracture control requirements. Then different aspects of fatigue crack growth in metallic materials are discussed in more detail. Important effects such as chemical environment, short cracks, crack...

Heat treatment studies of aluminium alloy type 7050 forgings. Interim report no. 2: The effect of heat treatment on a variety of engineering properties

The effect of variety of heat treatments on various engineering properties was studied with the aim to derive an optimum heat treatment. The engineering properties comprised Vickers hardness, short-time tensile strength, fatigue crack propagation resistance, fracture toughness and stress corrosion resistance. The test results were compared with...

Rate effects on residual strength of flawed structures and materials

The literature is reviewed with respect to: - tests conducted to investigate crack re-initiation under dynamic load and arrest of a running crack - metallurgical sources of rate effects - available data for aerospace engineering materials - mechanical sources of rate effects, i.e. dynamic crack tip stresses and kinetic energy effects Conclusions...