Three-dimensional Fatigue Crack Propagation Analysis of Aircraft Thin-walled Structures Under Out-of-plane Loading

Abstract

Some thin-walled structures in aircraft structures inevitably bear out-of-plane bending,affecting the safety of aircraft significantly.The FRACN3D-ABAQUS simulation method is adopted to carry out such research work.Effects of boundary restraint and initial crack shape on this kind of fatigue crack propagation are studied.The applicability of the simulation method is evaluated.Results show that weaker boundary constrains in simulations will increase the calculated stress intensity factor(SIF);the initial hole corner crack has a higher crack propagation rate than the initial surface crack around the hole;the FRACN3D-ABAQUS simulation method cannot simulate the crack propagation in the compressed surface,where the crack is unable to propagate.

Keywords

• franc3d
• bending load
• thin-walled structure
• fatigue crack propagation
• stress intensity factor