Course description
This unique course has been designed and developed to meet the needs of design and maintenance engineers in designing, analysing and maintaining aircraft
It presents the basic fundamentals of fatigue and fracture mechanics, as well as practical methods and case studies for meeting the durability and damage tolerance requirements.
The course consists of two main parts. Part 1 presents the basic theories of fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics, which is also suitable to automotive and civil engineers. Part 2 is designed to enhance the learning objectives offering specialist topics and case studies and exploring in greater depth. The course is focused largely on metallic aircraft structures rather than polymer composite aircraft. A separate course on polymer composite aircraft structures is available - see "Design, Durability and Integrity of Composite Aircraft Structures".
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
This course is suitable for:
- Stress engineers, design engineers, and analysts
- Research students and research engineers
- Responsible senior managers and technical programme managers
- Airworthiness and certification engineers
- Maintenance and repair engineers.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
What you will learn
- An overview of design philosophies and good design practice for structural durability and damage tolerance of civil and military aircraft
- An understanding of the principles and techniques of fatigue and fracture mechanics analysis, strength and service durability predictions
- Worked examples and hands-on experience of solution methods and procedures in structural fatigue, damage tolerance problems and airworthiness issues in aircraft structures
- Awareness of problem areas and regulatory requirements for fatigue and damage tolerant design in aircraft
Training Course Content
Core content
- Fatigue design philosophies
- Regulatory background on civil and military aircraft
- Requirements for fatigue and damage tolerant design
- Damage tolerance and material selection - the role of strength level and toughness
- Inspection threshold and inspection intervals
- Requirements for NDT capability
- Fatigue analysis methods
- Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics applied to static and fatigue failure
- Calculation of fatigue crack growth lives
- Computer based tools for life assessment - workshop session
- Fatigue loading spectra
- Fatigue and fracture analysis of commuter aircraft structures
- Repair, Replacement and Regulations
- Airworthiness lessons from Lusaka accident
- Ageing aircraft structures - current regulatory position
- Damage tolerance and widespread fatigue damage
- Fatigue management strategies
- Evolution of part 25 fatigue requirements
- The course will incorporate a session on a retired Boeing 737 aircraft, viewing locations where fatigue cracks are known to develop in service
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Cranfield University
Cranfield is a specialist postgraduate university that is a global leader for education and transformational research in technology and management. We have many world-class, large-scale facilities, including our own global research airport, which offers a unique environment for transformational education...