This electronic brochure highlights our capabilities and activities in the area of Aircraft

Structural Integrity. Please sign our guestbook. For additional information, e-mail Dr.
Kenneth Griffin,Southwest Research Institute.
Aircraft Structural Integrity
Many aircraft fleets around the world are being operated beyond their
intended service life span and in environments more severe than their
airframes were designed to accommodate conditions that place
increased demands on structural reliability requirements for aging
military and commercial aircraft.
Structural Design and Analysis
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) performs design and analysis
evaluations, including investigations often associated with aircraft
structural modification and life extension programs, for a variety of aircraft systems. The
Institute works with aircraft manufacturers and modification facilities to provide specialized
engineering expertise in design, analysis, and testing. Services include:
Computer-aided design
Production and installation drawings
Finite element stress analysis
Dynamic and aeroelastic analysis
Fracture mechanics/crack growth analysis
o

Stress intensity factors

Crack growth models

Cycle-by-cycle crack growth analysis
Residual strength

SwRI uses a wide variety of computer-aided design

and finite element programs for aircraft structural
design and analysis.

Material Property Evaluation

Extensive laboratory facilities are maintained for measurement of mechanical and physical
properties for all types of structural materials. SwRI capabilities include:

Static strength
Fatigue crack growth rate
Fracture toughness
Chemistry
Coupon spectrum testing
Tests are often performed under controlled environmental conditions of temperature, humidity,
vacuum, high pressure, and immersion in chemically controlled media. Specialized testing
includes programmed spectrum loading, coupled thermal and mechanical loading, variable
strain rates, and multi-axial stress conditions. Other physical measurements are made as
prescribed by ASTM standards. Specialized test equipment can be designed and built to meet
unique test requirements.

Fatigue testing under spectrum loading is conducted on

actual and simulated structures. The Institute develops
specimens and spectra for computer controlled tests.

Component and Full-Scale Testing

Verification testing is often required as part of aircraft design and modification programs. SwRI
has extensive laboratory facilities for performing static, dynamic, and fatigue tests on
components, sub-assemblies, and full-scale test articles. Typical tests include:
Component and full-scale static strength to limit and ultimate load
Full-scale durability and damage tolerance
Bird strikes and debris impingement
Structural flight demonstration
Aircraft model and aeroelastic flutter
Tests are usually specialized, and SwRI routinely designs and fabricates all mechanical,
hydraulic, and electrical components of test systems. Extensive instrumentation is provided for
load and deflection measurements, strain gaging, crack growth monitoring, and data telemetry.
The Institute's engineering and technical staff develops test plans tailored to client needs and
provides test setups and instrumentation, test monitoring, data reduction and analysis, and
post-test documentation.

A modified T-37B jet trainer is subjected to fullscale structural testing in an SwRI aircraft service
life extension program.

Aircraft Structural Life Management

Aircraft structural life management requires the integration of design and analysis, materials
behavior, structural testing, and knowledge of aircraft usage. SwRI has experience in usage
monitoring of military and commercial aircraft to provide data for structural life assessments.
These flight recording programs define aircraft maneuver and stress spectra for fatigue
analysis and fracture mechanics-based damage tolerance assessments of critical structures.

Damage tolerance methodology is used to

establish initial and recurring inspection
requirements for aircraft flight-critical
structures.

Typical Projects
Structural design, analysis, and modification
Parts drawings for fabrication and installation
External loads development
Stress analysis
Aircraft usage monitoring
Maneuver and stress spectra development
Vibration and static/dynamic fatigue testing

Component and full-scale damage tolerance testing

Damage tolerance and economic life assessment
Structural and metallurgical failure analysis
Nondestructive inspection development and application
Structural condition inspection
Life extension for aircraft
Advanced aerospace materials studies, development, and application
This brochure was published in June 1993. For more information about aircraft structural
integrity, contact Dr. Kenneth Griffin, Manager, Structural Engineering Department, Mechanical
Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas
78228-0510, Phone (210) 522-2332, Fax (210) 522-3042.
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