Structures Technology for Component Damage and Failure Prediction

Advanced structural analysis methods, known as progressive damage and failure analysis tools, are being developed to predict initiation and propagation of damage under repeated loading based on capturing individual and interacting damage modes. This work shows the ability of the progressive damage and failure analysis method implemented in CDMat software developed at the University of Texas Arlington Advanced Materials and Structures Lab to predict strength and fatigue failure of an advanced mechanically fastened aerospace structural joint, the common feature test component (CFTC)-representative of flight-critical structural attributes and failure modes-without a priori knowledge of the test result. The CFTC structural features include a composite tape skin, a composite fabric stiffener, and an aluminum rib applying pullthrough load through multiple countersunk bolts combined with the axial compression of skin and stiffener. Failure and damage predictions under static and constant-amplitude cyclic loading are compared with tests. Developed by Boeing under the Air Force Research Laboratory Composite Airframe Life Extension Program, the CFTC has been the most complex progressive damage and failure analysis validation article to date.