UNIVERSITI KUALA LUMPUR

MALAYSIAN INSTITUTE OF AVIATION

TECHNOLOGY

FINAL EXAMINATION
JANUARY 2022 SEMESTER

COURSE CODE : AAB 31003

COURSE NAME : AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES REPAIR

PROGRAMME NAME : BAET (Mechanical)

(FOR MPU: PROGRAMME
LEVEL)

DATE : 14 July 2022

TIME : 0900 am

DURATION : 3 Hours (Online 5 hours)

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES
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AAB 31003 AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES REPAIR

Final Examination Questions

Five (5) Questions Answer

all

Question 1 - Given the drawing of a section of an aircraft structure as shown.

1.1 Label the appropriate structure members; longerons, stringers, bulkheads, etc. on
the above diagram.

(5 marks)

1.2 Explain about the primary and secondary structure (not more than 5
sentences)
(5 marks)

1.3 Explains the characteristics and the function of each structure members, which
have been labelled in question 1.1.
(10 marks)

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Question 2 - Aircraft has been designed to three (3) design philosophies;

SAFE-LIFE, FAIL-SAFE, and DAMAGE TOLERANCE, which defined as follows;
● Safe - life is the structure with definite life.
● Fail-safe is the structure with redundant load paths.
● Damage tolerance is the structure with pre-determine damage and
analysis is carried out on the damage growth.

2.1 If the S-N Curve shown above has been the basis of the design.

a). What is the life of the structure made from Aluminum Alloy 2014-T6, if the strain
gauges on the structure show maximum stress of 300 MPa

(5 marks)

b) What is the design philosophy used in the design, if the above diagram is used in
design.

(5 marks)

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2.2 Based on the above diagram.

a). If the aircraft is designed and the above diagram is used, what is the design
philosophy?
(5 marks)

b). Explain the design philosophy and use the terms shown in the above diagram in the
discussion.
(5 marks)

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Question 3 - A stringer was found damaged and has been repaired by the installation
of a splice as shown in the diagram. The “L” section is 40 mm by 40 mm and 1.4 mm
thick.

3.1 State the repair basic principles in terms of the doubler materials, doublers
thickness, rivets’ edge distance, rivets’ spacing.

Doubler.................................materials
Doubler shall be...................thick
Rivet Edge Distance (ED)................................
Rivet pitch / spacing……………………………….
…………………………will be one the stress check
(10 marks)

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3.2 Calculate the strength of the splice or doubler (load carrying capability) and
Margin of Safety. The “L” angle is Aluminum Alloy 2024-T3 (Ultimate Tensile
Strength is 480 MPa). The “L” section is 40 mm by 40 mm and 1.4 mm thick.

Draw the repair diagram showing the cross-section of original and doubler Doubler
thickness ……………..
Doubler cross-sectional area..........................................(show calculation)
Doubler strength........................................(show calculation)
Margin of Safety.........................Show calculation

(10 marks)

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Question 4 - A 3-inch crack found on a B737-400, 9M-ABC, operated by
MIAT Airlines Sdn Bhd. The crack was 2 inches forward of BS400, 3
inches below Stringer S-7L.

4.1 Sketch (2D) the details of damage to be used as an attachment for an email to
Boeing, for the sketch use the information given
(5 marks)

4.2 Write an email to Boeing to explain the defects and request assistance to repair the
damage since the Boeing SRM does not cover the damaged area. The email shall have;

to whom
from whom
title of the subject detail
of the aircraft the detail
of the defect
expectation from Boeing

(15 marks)

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Question 5 - An aircraft fuselage skin has been damaged and repaired.

5.1 If the damage has been cut to 75mm (horizontally) and 50 mm (vertically).

a). Calculate the resultant load lost, take into consideration of circumferential loads
due to pressurization on top of the fuselage longitudinal load. The skin is Aluminum
Alloy 2024-T3 (Ultimate Tensile Stress = 480 Mpa and Ultime Shear Stress is 250
MPa). The skin thickness is 1.6 mm. In calculation, consider;

calculate the cross-sectional area (vertically and horizontally of the cut)

Longintunal load (tension)
Circumferential load (tension due the pressurization)
Shear load along the cut
resultant load from the tension and shear

The cross-sectional area of the cut both horizontally and vertically:

 The cross-sectional area of the cut horizontally would be
75mm X 1.6mm = 120 mm^2

 The cross-sectional area of the cut vertically would be

50mm X 1.6mm = 80 mm^2.
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The longitudinal load (tension) on the skin:
 The longitudinal load on the skin horizontally would be
480 MPa / 120 mm^2 = 4 MPa

 the longitudinal load on the skin vertically would be

480 MPa / 80 mm^2 = 6 MPa.

The circumferential load (tension due to pressurization) on the skin:

 the circumferential load on the skin horizontally would be
480 MPa / 120 mm^2 = 4 MPa

 the circumferential load on the skin vertically would be

480 MPa / 80 mm^2 = 6 MPa.

The shear load along the cut:

 the shear load along the cut horizontally would be
250 MPa / 120 mm^2 = 2.08 MPa

 the shear load along the cut vertically would be

250 MPa / 80 mm^2 = 3.12 MPa.

The resultant load from the tension and shear. By using the Pythagorean theorem,
The resultant load horizontally would be:
√ (4 MPa^2 + 4 MPa^2 + 2.08 MPa^2) = 5.44 MPa

The resultant load vertically would be:

√ (6 MPa^2 + 6 MPa^2 + 3.12 MPa^2) = 7.52 MPa.

(10 marks)

b). Write the repair instruction based on the above diagram. The repair instruction
must have inspection, removing of damage, fabrication of doubler, installation of
doubler and post repair inspection.

Here is a repair instruction based on the above diagram:

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1. Inspection:
 Visually inspect the damage to determine the extent and severity of the
damage.
 Measure the dimensions of the damage (horizontal and vertical width and
depth) to determine the size of the doubler needed.
 Check the surrounding area for any additional damage or deformations.

2. Removing of damage:
 Use a suitable tool, such as a chisel or a die grinder, to remove the damaged
skin and any debris from the area.
 Clean the repair area thoroughly to ensure a good bond between the doubler
and the parent material.

3. Fabrication of doubler:
 Cut a piece of doubler material to the appropriate size and shape based on the
dimensions of the damage. The doubler should be at least as thick as the
parent material and should have similar mechanical properties.
 Pre-drill holes in the doubler using a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the
diameter of the rivets to be used.

4. Installation of doubler:
 Align the doubler with the repair area and position it such that it covers the
entire damage.
 Secure the doubler in place using rivets. The rivets should be spaced at
intervals that are appropriate for the thickness of the doubler and the parent
material, and the edge distance should be at least equal to the diameter of the
rivet shank.
 Fill any gaps between the doubler and the parent material using a suitable
filler material, such as putty or epoxy.
 Smooth the surface of the repair to ensure a seamless finish.

5. Post-repair inspection:
 Visually inspect the repair to ensure that it is properly aligned and that the
doubler is securely fastened to the parent material.
 Check the rivets to ensure that they are properly set and that the edge distance
is sufficient.
 Test the repair for any signs of stress or strain, such as cracks or
deformations.
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 If the repair passes all inspection checks, the structure can be returned to
service. If any issues are identified, the repair should be revised as necessary

(10 marks)

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THERE ARE 8 PAGES OF QUESTIONS, EXCLUDING THIS PAGE.

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