28th Congress of the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, 23 - 28 September 2012, Brisbane, Australia
Paper ICAS 2012-7.9.1

INVESTIGATION OF AN IN-SERVICE CRACK SUBJECTED TO AERODYNAMIC BUFFET AND MANOEUVRE LOADS AND EXPOSED TO AN CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT

S. A. Barter, L. Molent
DSTO, Australia

Keywords: aircraft , fatigue, quantitative fractography, corrosion, crack growth

During inspection of a tail attachment stub former from a combat aircraft, cracking was found about an attachment bolt. The stub had experienced aerodynamic buffeting and manoeuvre loads producing fatigue progression markings. A crack growth curve was derived. Corrosion was found in areas of the fatigue crack’s surface. Assuming the corrosion occurred whilst the aircraft was on the ground it was possible to correlate the crack growth curve to flight hours.

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