Variability of fatigue crack growth properties for 2024-T3 aluminium alloy

Discussions between D-BAA and the NLR have shown that significant variability in fatigue crack growth properties is possible for the industry standard damage tolerant aluminium alloy, 2024-T3 sheet. This is important for two reasons: (1) design assumptions and (2) comparisons of different candidate materials, such as 6013-T6, with 2024-T3....

Fatigue and residual strength behaviour of ARALL3 panels with bonded-on doublers

Residual strength tests were performed on ARALL panels consisting of ARALL3 (3/2) laminates with bonded-on doublers. In particular, the effect of the doubler geometry (shape and thickness) on the residual strength was investigated. Prior to residual strength testing all panels were fatigue loaded to create a realistic type of damage, i.e. cracks...

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...

Fatigue Rated Fastener Systems: an AGARD coordinated testing programme

The report contains the description, results and conclusions of a fatigue test programme which assessed the fatigue lives of fastener systems using different joints. High load transfer single shear joints were evaluated in a core programme; secondary bending and load transfer were determined experimentally. About 750 specimens were fatigue...

Microstructural and fractographic analysis of fatigue crack propagation in 2024-T351 and 2324-T39

Differences in the fatigue crack propagation rates of 2024-T351 and 2324-T39 are explicable from differences in microstructures. The slope changes (transitions) in the crack propagation curves are probably associated with the plastic zone sizes being equal to certain microstructural dimensions. As a consequence of different chemical compostion...

Constant-amplitude and flight-simulation fatigue tests on adhesive bonded lap joint specimens of 2024-T3 sheet material

Fatigue tests were carried out on Redux and FM 123/5 bonded specimens at various stress levels, temperatures (RT to 65 C) and low and high test frequencies. Observations were made on the type of failure (bond line failure or sheet failure) and the significance of the adhesive squeezeout for crack nucleation. An analysis of the data and a...

Engineering property comparisons for 2324-T39 and 2024-T351 aluminium alloy plate

Engineering property comparisons have been made for plate material of the newly developed aluminium alloy 2324-T39 and the widely used alloy 2024-T351. The properties considered were: tensile strength, fracture toughness, notched fatigue strength, and the resistance to fatigue crack propagation under both constant amplitude and flight simulation...

Some tests to assess the effect of crack stoppers on the fatigue life of centre-notched sheetspecimens

Several simple crack stopping methods were evaluated In fatigue crack propagation tests on 2024-T3 Alclad sheet specimens. After precracklng until a crack of 40 mm was obtained crack stoppers were Installed and the fatigue test was continued. Crack stoppers Installed In stop holes were: a blind rivet, a hard driven rivet, a heavily tightened...

A check of crack propagation prediction models against test results generated under transport aircraft flight simulation loading

The GARTEUR Group of Responsables for Structures and Materials identified the need for an evaluation of fatigue crack propagation models. This resulted in a collaborative GARTEUR activity in which 13 variations of the F-27 transport spectrum were evaluated by 7 institutes and companies using in total 13 crack propagation prediction methods and...

Manoeuvre spectrum fatigue crack propagation in aluminium alloy sheet materials

2024-T3, 2048-T851, 7075-T6 and 7475-T761 aluminium alloy sheets were compared for fatigue crack propagation resistance under manoeuvre spectrum and constant amplitude loading. For manoeuvre spectrum loading 7475-T761 was superior overall, and this superiority is most probably due to superior toughness of this alloy. In more detail, 2024-T3 was...

Environmental fatigue crack propagation in metal/composite laminates: interim report no. 1

Plight simulation fatigue crack propagation tests with gust spectrum loading were carried out on 2024-T3/carbon-epoxy, 7475-T761/carbon-epoxy and Ti-6Al-4V/carbon-epoxy laminates with nominal weight savings of 30% as compared to equivalent 2024-T3 panels. The performance of the 2024-T3/ carbon-epoxy laminates was much superior to those of the...

Flight simulation fatigue crack propagation evaluation of candidate lower wing skin materials with particular consideration of spectrum truncation

Flight simulation fatigu-e crack propagation tests were carried out on 2024-T3, 7475-T761 and mill annealed Ti-6A1-4V sheet in thicknesses up to 3 miri and representative for transport aircraft lower wing skin stiffened panels of end load capacities 1.5 and 3 MN/m. The performance of 2024-T3 was much superior, owing mainly to greater retardation...

Heat treatment studies of aluminium alloy forgings of the AZ 74.61 type. Interim report no. 3: Fatigue crack propagation performance under manoeuvre spectrum loading

The fatigue crack propagation performance of the alloy AZ 74.61 under manoeuvre spectrum loading was studied. The crack propagation behaviour was also compared with that of the American forging alloy AA 7050, not only for simulated manoeuvre loading but also for simulated gust loading and programme loading. It was found that, at comparable...

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...

Supplementary residual strength investigation of the aluminium alloy 7475-T76

Some residual strength tests have been performed on 610 mm wide centre-cracked panels at a temperature of -50 C, in order to examine whether equal Ke values are obtained as for 300 mm wide panels, tested at -50°C. This work is a continuation of the residual strength investigation reported in NLR TR 76103 and NLR TR 75168.

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...

Fracture toughness and fatigue properties of the new aluminium alloy 7475-T76

Residual strength tests have been performed on 610 mm wide centre cracked panels. During the tests, stable crack growth was filmed and crack opening displacements were measured. Fracture toughness was determined using the method of Feddersen. Flight simulation fatigue tests were carried out to investigate the crack propagation properties. A...