Airbus Fatigue & Damage Tolerance Course January 2005

Presented by

Hans-Jürgen Schmidt
Retired from Airbus
AeroStruc – Aeronautical Engineering

Subject 3
Tips on damage tolerance behavior

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc

 Contents
• General goal of damage tolerance design
• Stresses in fuselage shell
• Major deformation in fuselage shell
• Load path arrangement
• Major design aspects to meet damage tolerance
• F+DT in pre-development phase
• Design precautions
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

- for fuselage
- for wing
- general

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 2

 General goal of damage tolerance
design
• FAR 25.571 begins with the statement: “An evaluation of the
strength, detail design and fabrication must show that the
catastrophic failure due to fatigue, corrosion, or accidental
damage, will be avoided throughout the operational life of the
airplane.
• This chapter deals with the application of fracture mechanics
and crack propagation concepts to those primary structure and
major repairs, which are able to tolerate fatigue cracking,
corrosion and accidental damage up to next scheduled
inspection.
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

• For all primary structure with the exception of the landing gear
including its attachments the damage tolerance design and
evaluation is required.
• This chapter includes proven damage tolerance design
concepts, which have been used by the major aircraft
manufacturers. The given design concepts and details have been
successfully certified and used during operation.
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 3
 General goal of damage tolerance
design – contd. -
• The fatigue and damage tolerance design and evaluation has to
cover to cover all structure categorized as either PSE or CSE
using the following definitions:
- Principal Structural Elements are those which contribute
significantly to carrying flight, ground and pressurization
loads, and whose failure, if it remained undetected could
result in catastrophic failure of the airplane.
- Critical Structural Elements are those elements whose failure
would result in catastrophic failure of the airplane.
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

• The primary structure ought to consist of PSEs and CSEs. The

designation of PSEs, CSEs as well as secondary structure is
based on the assessment of failure consequences of the
individual structural element.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 4

 General goal of damage tolerance design –
classification checklist
List from AC 25.571-1C, paragraph 6d, with some added elements:
Wing and empennage:
• Control surfaces, slats, flaps, spoilers, and their mechanical
systems and attachments (hinges, tracks, and fittings)
• Integrally stiffened plates
• Primary fittings
• Principal splices
• Skin or reinforcement around cutouts or discontinuities
• Skin-stringer combinations
• Spar caps
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• Spar webs
• Spar “kick” details in swept wings
Engine mounts:
• Struts
• Thrust links
• Pitch and yaw reaction force fittings
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 5
 General goal of damage tolerance design –
classification checklist - contd. -
List from AC 25.571-1C, para. 6d, with some added elements –contd.:
Fuselage:
• Circumferential frames and adjacent skin
• Door frames
• Pilot window posts
• Pressure bulkheads
• Skin and any single frame or stiffener around a cutout
• Skin and/or skin splices under circumferential loads
• Skin and/or skin splices under fore-and-aft-loads
• Skin around a cutout
• Skin and stiffener combinations under fore-and-aft-loads
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

• Door skins, frames and latches

• Floor skins and beams
• Window frames
Landing gear and their attachments:
• Trunnions
• Main struts (inner and outer parts)
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 6
 General goal of damage tolerance design
– classification checklist - contd. -
• According to T.Swift an average of 150 areas are considered as
critical stress areas and need to be evaluated. This number is
often reduced to about 90 PSEs by area similarity. The following
criteria may be considered for PSE selection:

- Elements in tension or shear

- Low static margin
- High stress concentration
- High load transfer
- High spectrum density
- High stress in secondary members after primary member
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

failure
- Materials with high crack growth rates
- Areas prone to accidental damage
- Component test result
- Results of full-scale fatigue test

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 7

 Stresses in fuselage shell
• The following examples of damage tolerance design are related to
the pressurized fuselage structures.
• The following sketch shows the elements of the fuselage shells and
the stresses due to pressure, bending and twisting.

t R

FRAME
STRINGER
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

BAY

BENDING USEFUL LOAD

+ + EQUIPMENT + STRUCTURAL
PRESSURE PRESSURE WEIGHT
AXIAL STRESS HOOP STRESS
BENDING
+ Ref.: /7/
TWISTING
SHEAR STRESSES
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 8
 Major deformation in fuselage shell
• An important local effect of the restrained expansion phenomenon
is the secondary bending in the stiffener. Since the longitudinal
skin cracks are of the most concern in the damage tolerance
design, the local frame bending has an important effect.

LOCAL LOCAL
BENDING BENDING

SKIN BEFORE
DEFORMATION
FRAME
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

SKIN
STRINGER

Ref.: /7/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 9

 Major deformation in fuselage shell –
contd. -
• The fuselage expands under pressure and imposes tension on the
cross beams. Since the cross-beams are extremely stiff in tension,
the skin and frames are bent inward near the floor when the
fuselage is pressurized. This local bending effect leads to
additional fastener bearing loads at the frame.

SKIN

UNDEFORMED
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FRAME / SKIN
BENDING
UNDER
PRESSURE CROSS-BEAM

Ref.: /7/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 10

 Load path arrangement
• According to AC 25.571-1A the following definitions are defined:
• Single load path is where the applied loads are eventually
distributed through a single member within the assembly, the failure
of which would result in the loss of the structural integrity of the
component.
• Multiple load path is identified with redundant structures in which
(with the failure of individual elements) the applied loads would be
safely distributed to other load carrying members.
DAMAGE
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SITE

Ref.: /7/
Multiple load path design

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 11

 Major design aspects to meet damage
tolerance – recommended DT behavior
• In the past different designers have made different assumptions
about the damage sizes to be considered. Today, a crack
extending into two frame bays with the central frame also cut is
generally assumed, e.g. A380. The structure is considered to
comply with the FAR 25.571(b)(3)(ii) if, under the specified
conditions, it arrests the skin within two frame bays.

SKIN
CRACK
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FRAME CUT
THROUGH

Ref.: /7/

CRACK MUST BE ARRESTED

IN TWO FRAME BAYS

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 12

 Major design aspects to meet damage
Structural Damages
tolerance - material selection (da/dN)
log
(da/dN) Sheet material Machined material
(mm/cycle)
10-3

10-4
2024 T42 clad

2524 T42 clad

2524 T3 clad
2024 T3 clad

7055 T7751
7040 T7451

7475 T7351
7050 T7451

7449 T7651
7475 T751
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10-5

COMPARED CRACK GROWTH RATES OF DIFFERENT

ALUMINIUM ALLOYS FOR ∆K = 20 MPa √m , R = 0.1 and T-L DIRECTION
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 13
 Major design aspects to meet damage
Structural Damages
tolerance – material selection (Kc)
Sheet material Machined material
1,2 40
Kc/Kc2024 Kic
MPa
1,0 √m

0,8 30

0,6
2024 T42 clad

2524 T42 clad

2524 T3 clad
2024 T3 clad
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

7055 T7751
7040 T7451

7475 T7351
7050 T7451

7449 T7651
7475 T751
0,4 20

0,2

0
10
COMPARED TOUGHNESS OF DIFFERENT ALUMINIUM ALLOYS
(Kc/Kc2024 for sheet material KIC for machined material, T-L direction
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 14
 Major design aspects to meet damage
tolerance – built-up vs. integral structures
Built-up structure and integral structure may develop different damage
scenarios. Integral welded structure is used for A318 and A380 fuselage
panels in the forward and aft bilge area.

Built-up structure:

Crack does not

propagate into
stiffener

stage 1 stage 2 stage 3

Riveted stiffener (alternatively bonded)
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Integral structure:

Crack
propagates into
stiffener

stage 1 stage 2 stage 3

Machined or welded structure
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 15
 Major design aspects to meet damage
tolerance – stiffeners as crack stoppers
• The crack growth and the residual strength of circumferential skin
cracks can be significantly improved by an adequate design of the
stringer.
• The major stringer parameters are material and stiffness ratio. A
common design practice to guard against stringer failure is to use
a material with higher strength (e.g. skin: 2024 or 2524T3, stringer:
7075T6). A stiffness ratio of A/(A+Wt) ≥ 0.3 is recommended.

Stiffness Ratio:
W AREA = A
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

A/Wt (US) or
t
A/(A+Wt) (Europe)
(all material with the
same Young‘s modulus)
Ref.: /7/

Stringer/skin stiffness ratio

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 16
 Major design aspects to meet damage
tolerance – effect of stiffness ratio
• The effect of the stiffness ratio on correction factors cv and Ls is
shown in the following diagram valid for certain conditions (for
details see subject 11/12).
• Equations: Stringer stress: σS = LS • σ σ = skin stress
Stress intensity: K = CV • σ • √(π a)
1,8 4,5
CV
1,6 4,0
LS 2l
1,4 3,5

1,2 3,0
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

1,0 2,5

t
0,8 2,0
b
0,6 1,5 Ref.: /5/
0,4 1,0
Valid only for panels
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0 1,2 1,4 1,6 1,8 2,0 loaded uni-axially in
l/b stringer direction!
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 17
 F+DT in pre-development phase –
Allowable operational and limit load stresses
Allowable operational and limit load stresses for A380 current design
configuration based on the test results from flat and curved panels
Skin Allowable skin stresses for Allowable skin stresses to meet inspec-
material two bay crack in MPa tion periods (4000 F for GVI) in MPa

Circumferential Longitudinal Circumferential Longitudinal

stress for stress for stress for stress for
∆1.15 p limit load 1g +10ft/sVG + ∆ p 1g +10ft/sVG + ∆ p
µ ≥ 0.3 f
2024T3 clad 80 200 c 78 93
2524T3 clad 100 220 a / 200 c 100 110
GLARE3 80 220 a / 200 c 120 130 d
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GLARE4B 90 220 a / 200 c 130 120 d

6013HDT e 110 g 140 b 100 93

a 7xxx high strength stringers, b 6xxx welded stringers, c 2xxx riveted stringers,
d in case of Al stringers on GLARE the allowable is defined by the stringer fatigue stress:

allowable stringer stress for 2xxx stringers: 105 MPa, 7xxx stringers: 85 MPa ,
e HDT = high damage tolerance, flow path 1, f µ = As/(As + bt)
g based on two-frame-bay-crack above intact frame

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 18

 Design precautions

CRACK STOPPER
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FRAME 35.8 FORWARD PRESSURE BULKHEAD

Detail

Window
frame

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 19

 Design precautions - contd. -
FIN ATTACHMENTS

FAIL SAFE DESIGN

C77
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

CARGO DOOR PIANO HINGE FITTING

7175 T73511 Ti 6Al4V

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 20

 Design precautions for fuselage

Use of waffle doubler design instead of fail-safe straps:

Skin
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Bonded
waffle
doubler

Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 21

 Design precautions for fuselage
- contd. -
Fail-safe strap located between skin and frame:

Skin
Skin

Stringer
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Stringer clip

Frame

Fail- safe strap

Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 22

 Design precautions for fuselage
- contd. -
Transport fuselage structural arrangements:

Example: Boeing B747 Fail safe strap

© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Fuselage radius: 128” Area below Cabin wall Area above

window window

Ref.: /2/
Dimensions in inch and materials are aluminum.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 23

 Design precautions for fuselage
- contd. -
Transport fuselage structural arrangements:
Example: Boeing B737
Tear stopper
bonded to skin
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Fuselage radius: 74” Cabin wall Area below window Ref.: /2/

Dimensions in inch and materials are aluminum.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 24
 Design precautions fuselage –
clip usage
Usage of fuselage stringer clip design:
P press.
Skin

Stringer

Clip Reactive effect of clip

in preventing frame
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inner cap failure

Frame inner
chord
Frame Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 25

 Design precautions - fail safe design

Fail safe design by using longitudinal beam along side of fuselage:

Frame
Frame

Longitudinal
beam
Seat track or
seat rail
R A
Floor A
beam
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Frame R

Tension loads due

to cabin pressure
Floor beam

Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 26

 Design precautions - effect of straps on
rear pressure bulkhead
Airbus A330/A340 full scale fatigue test – artificial damage (saw cut)
in Aluminum skin of rear pressure bulkhead

start crack length 66 mm

© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 27

 Design precautions - effect of straps on
rear pressure bulkhead - contd. -
Airbus A330/A340 full
scale fatigue test –
GLARE strap
crack growth in
Aluminum skin of rear
pressure bulkhead

End crack length (before

repair) 441 mm
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Note:
The GLARE straps were
introduced as trial
installation only. The
series of A330/A340
contains a Titanium net.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 28

 Design precautions - effect of straps on
rear pressure bulkhead - contd. -
Airbus A330/A340 full scale fatigue test –
crack growth in Aluminum skin of rear pressure bulkhead
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 29

 Design precautions – bonded structure
Variants of bonded structure for fuselage design:
• Conventional bonding with pocketing (1)
(1)
 Monolithic skin
 Variation of skin thickness by chemical milling
• Conventional bonding with waffle plate (as
framework) (2)
 Monolithic skin
 Doubler framework as waffle plate (2)
• Metal-laminates with doublers framework (3)
 Laminates (e.g. 0.8+0.6 mm) or monolithic skin
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

 Adapted geometry of framework

– Stiffening of stringer areas for increase of
residual strength and static compression
behaviours (3)
– Stiffening of skin for decrease of crack
growth and for increase of static shear
behaviours

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 30

 Design precautions - bonded structure
- comparison of crack growth behavior

800
Welded panels (IMER) Conventional bonding (IMER)
3rd Stringer
1.6mm 1.6 mm
700
6013 2524T3
95 MPa - skin stress 95 MPa - skin stress
600 2nd Doubler
Full Crack Length [mm]

500

400 Improved ML (ML-ST)

2nd Stringer 0.6+0.8mm
300 2024T3
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

100 MPa-skin stress

200 1st Doubler

100

0 1st Stringer

0 10000 20000 30000 No. 40000

of Loads 50000 60000 70000

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 31

 Design precautions - bonded structure
- change of design criteria
New criteria for critical crack length allows to increase
the skin stress and to reduce the weight

Stiffening ratio : µ=0.245

Stiffening ratio : µ=0.355
Stiffening ratio : µ=0.430
Reserve
Crack length [mm]

Next Stringer
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New 2-Bay
2-Bay Crack
Crack
distance

0
Broken Stringer
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000

No. of Loads N
Skin stress 95 MPa; Geometry: 2524T3 t=1.6mm skin, stringer pitch 185mm, stringer types: ABS5085 7349T76511
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 32
 Design precautions for wing – material
selection – comparison of typical data
Airplane Cover Type of Material Panel No. of spars
Name construction skin/stringer shape type of ribs
rib spacing
1649 upper integral 7075 2 spars
lower integral 7075 rib-truss
L-188 upper integral 7178-T6 2 spars
lower integral 7075-T6 rib-truss
18 inch
B707 upper skin-stringer 7178 / 7178 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T3 / 7075-T6 rib-web
28.5 inch
DC-8 upper skin-stringer 7075 / - 2 spars
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lower skin-stringer 7075 / - rib-web

32 inch
DC-9 upper skin-stringer 7075-T6 / - 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T4 / - rib-web

CV880 upper skin-stringer 7075 / - 3 spars

lower skin-stringer 2024 / - rib-web
22 inch
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc Ref.: /2/ January 2005 Page 33
 Design precautions for wing – material
selection – comparison of typical data - contd.
Airplane Cover Type of Material Panel No. of spars
Name construction skin/stringer shape type of ribs
rib spacing
CV990 upper skin-stringer 7179 / - 3 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024 / - rib-web
22 inch
BAC 111 upper integral 7075 3 spars
lower integral 2024-T4 rib-web
23 inch
C130 upper integral 7178 / 7075 2 spars
lower integral 7178 / 7075 rib-truss
18 inch
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

P-3 upper integral 7075-T6 2 spars

lower integral rib-truss
18 inch
C141 upper integral 7075-T6 2 spars
lower integral 7075-T6 rib-truss
23 inch
C-5A upper integral 7075-T6 3 spars
lower integral 7075-T6 rib-truss
30 inch
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc Ref.: /2/ January 2005 Page 34
 Design precautions for wing – material
selection – comparison of typical data - contd.
Airplane Cover Type of Material Panel No. of spars
Name construction skin/stringer shape type of ribs
rib spacing
B747 upper skin-stringer 7075-T6 / 7075-T6 3 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024 / 2024 rib-web
25 inch
L-1011 upper skin-stringer 7075-T76 / 7075-T6 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 7075-T76 / 7075-T6 rib-web
21 inch
DC-10 upper skin-stringer 7075-T651 / 7075-T6 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T351 / 7075-T6 rib-web
18 - 34 inch
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A-300 upper skin-stringer 7075-T6 / - 3 spars

lower skin-stringer 2024-T3 / - rib-web

B-1 upper integral 2219-T851 / - 2 spars

lower integral 2219-T851 / - rib-web
Trident upper skin-stringer 7075-T6 / 7075-T6 3 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024 / 2024 rib-web

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc Ref.: /2/ January 2005 Page 35
 Design precautions for wing – material
selection – comparison of typical data - contd.
Airplane Cover Type of Material Panel No. of spars
Name construction skin/stringer shape type of ribs
rib spacing
B727 upper skin-stringer 7178-T651/7178-T6511 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T351/2024-T3511 rib-web
B737 upper skin-stringer 7178-T651 / - 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T351 / - rib-web
VC-10 upper integral 7075-T6 4 spars
lower integral 2024-T4 rib-web
F.28 upper skin-stringer 7075-T6 / 7178-T6 2 spars
lower skin-stringer 2024-T3 / 7075 rib-truss
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

KC-135 upper skin-stringer 7175-T6 / 7178-T6 2 spars

lower skin-stringer 7178-T6 / 7178-T6 rib-web
28.5 inch
Concorde upper integral Hiduminium RR.58 Multi-spars
lower integral Hiduminium RR.58 rib-truss
B757 and upper skin-stringer 7150-T6 / 7150-T6 2 spars
B767 lower skin-stringer 2324-T3 / 2224-T3 rib-web

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc Ref.: /2/ January 2005 Page 36
 Design precautions for wing –
fail-safe spar shear web design
Fail-safe design of spar shear web

Spar web

Thickened web

Additional
flange
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Integrally stiffened Spar cap

wing panel
Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 37

 Design precautions for wing –
fail-safe feature
Fail-safe feature – crack stopper at spar shear web
Upper Horizontal stiffener
web

Skin
B
Integrally Upper spar cap
machined web Upper
and spar cap web Upper spar cap
Stiffener Web

Crack stopper

Web
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Lower A
web Upper web Stiffener
Lower Lower spar cap
spar cap Detail “B”

Detail “A” (b) Configuration “b”

Wing skin

(a) Configuration “a” Ref.: /2/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 38

 General design precautions – effect of
stiffeners
Determination of stress intensity factor in stiffened panels

Section A-A
S S S

A 2a A 2a 2a

s
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

P1-P3: rivet
loads

Ref.: /3/
S S S

Total = a + b +c+d

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 39

 General design precautions – effect of
stiffeners – contd. -
Schematic illustration of the variation of the skin-stress-reduction-
factor CR and the load-concentration-factor L for the panel
configuration given on the previous page:

CR L
Light stringer
Light stringer
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Heavy stringer Heavy stringer

Str Str
Crack length 2a Crack length 2a
Ref.: /3/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 40

 General design precautions– effect of
stiffeners – contd. -
Stress intensity factor (152 mm stringer spacing) according to Poe.

C R = K/σ√( πa)

µ = stiffness ratio
µ = 0.21 (light stringer)

0.41
µ = 0.59 (heavy stringer)
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Stringer Stringer

a/b (b=stringer spacing)

Ref.: /3/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 41

 General design precautions– effect of
stiffeners – contd. -
mm 200
Fatigue crack 10 -2
50 100 150 N (1000 cycles)
da/dn
growth in da/dn
mm/cycle
stiffened panel in/cycle
Unstiffened panel
10 -2
70 Scale
according to for
crack
Poe. Crack 60 propa-
propa- gation
gation
50

10 -4 40

30
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

90% scatter

20

Stiffness ratio 0.58 10 -410

Str. spacing 6 inch Stringer
Aluminum stringer
Ref.: /3/ 10 -6
0 2 4 6 8 inch

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 42

 General design precaution – effect of
stiffeners – contd. -
0 80 mm
Fatigue crack 10 -2
20 40 60 100
da/dn
growth in da/dn mm/cycle
integrally in/cycle

stiffened panel
according to
90% scatter
Poe.
10 -2

10 -4
Unstiffened
panel
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

10 -4

Stringer Stringer

Ref.: /3/ 10 -6 4
0 1 2 3
inch

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 43

 General design precautions – effect of
riveting vs. bonding
Difference between riveted and adhesive-bonded stringers

Cracked area
riveted 1.5 inch in percent adhesive-bonded
Cracked area 40
in percent bonded
30

30

20
20
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

10
10

0 0
40 80 120 160 40 80 120 160
Cycles after initiation of crack x 103 Cycles after initiation of crack x 103

7075 T6
Stress 13 ± 6.5 ksi Ref.: /3/
2024 T3

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 44

 General design precautions – residual
strength behavior
Residual strength for simple stiffened panel
stiffener failure curve
Residual σ(ult) of sheet and determined by stiffener load
strength stiffener material concentration factor
σ stringer 2s

2a
Fracture without
crack arrest

Fracture of unstiffened panel Fracture due to stiffener

failure after crack arrest

Region of stable crack

© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

growth of stiffened panel

Residual strength curve

of unstiffened panel

Initiation of crack growth Initiation of crack growth

in unstiffened panel in stiffened panel

2a << 2s 2s crack length 2a

Ref.: /3/
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 45
 General design precautions – crack
arresting in stiffened panel
Panel configuration with heavy stiffeners – “skin-critical” case

Stiffener failure curve

σ (ult)

Fracture due to sheet

failure after crack arrest

Region of stable
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

crack growth

Unstiffened sheet

2s crack length 2a

Ref.: /3/
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 46
 General design precautions – crack tip
stress intensity factors
Crack tip stress intensity factor – crack length with variable stiffener
to skin attachment
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Ref.: /3/

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 47

 General design precautions – crack tip
stress intensity factors - contd. -
Crack tip stress intensity factor versus crack length with varying
degrees of bond delamination
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

Ref.: /3/
F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 48
 This document and all information contained herein is the sole
property of AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. No intellectual
property rights are granted by the delivery of this document or
the disclosure of its content. This document shall not be
reproduced or disclosed to a third party without the express
written consent of AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. This
document and its content shall not be used for any purpose
other than that for which it is supplied.

The statements made herein do not constitute an offer. They

are based on the mentioned assumptions and are expressed
in good faith. Where the supporting grounds for these
statements are not shown, AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH
will be pleased to explain the basis thereof.
© AIRBUS DEUTSCHLAND GmbH. All rights reserved. Confidential and proprietary document.

F+DT course, H.-J. Schmidt, AeroStruc January 2005 Page 49