Predicting fatigue crack initiation and propagation in Glare reinforced frames

The most highly loaded frames of the newly developed Airbus A400M transport aircraft have glass reinforced aluminium laminate (Glare) straps attached to them to increase their resistance to fatigue damage. These straps were designed using static strength requirements for the frame. Basic justification was done in two steps. Firstly, the frame...

Subsurface fatigue crack growth in Glare fibre metal laminates

The investigation of the present thesis is concerned with the fatigue crack growth behaviour of part through the thickness cracks in Glare™ fibre metal laminate (FML) subjected to combined tension and bending. An experimental program was executed which required the development of a novel fatigue specimen, the Milled Open Hole Tension Bending ...

Fatigue crack propagation and delamination growth in Glare

Fibre Metal Laminate Glare consists of thin aluminium layers bonded together with pre-impregnated glass fibre layers and shows an excellent fatigue crack growth behaviour compared to monolithic aluminium. The fibres are insensitive to the occurring fatigue loads and remain intact while the fatigue cracks occur in the aluminium layers. As a...