This review is addressed to metallurgists who may wish to look into the state of affairs regarding the fatigue of aircraft structures. Emphasis is placed on airplane structure, principally the subsonic jet airframe, as representative of aircraft generally. Basic factors contributing to airframe fatigue are examined; selected reports dealing with the subject are related to these in a way that should permit critical reading about developments in this field for the next decade or more.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
‘Full-Scale Fatigue Testing of Aircraft Structures’ (edited byPlantemaF. .2SchijveJ.). 1961: London (Pergamon Press).
2.
Fatigue of Aircraft Structures (edited byBarroisW.RipleyE.L.). 1963: London (Pergamon Press).
3.
Current Aeronautical Fatigue Problems (edited bySchijveJ.Heath-SmithJ. R.WelbourneE. R.). 1965: London (Pergamon Press).
Proceedings of Air Force Conference on Fatigue and Fracture of Aircraft Structures and Materials (AFFDL-TR-70–144). 1969: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (US Air Force).
7.
Symposium on Fatigue of Aircraft Structures (STP-338). 1962: Philadelphia (ASTM).
8.
TaylorJ., ‘Manual of Aircraft Loads’.1964: London (Perga-mon Press).
9.
Structural Fatigue in Aircraft (STP-404). 1966: Philadelphia (Amer. Soc. Test. Mat.).
10.
Effects of Environment and Complex Load History on Fatigue Life (STP-462). 1970: Philadelphia (ASTM).
11.
‘Two-Day Convention on Economic Factors in Aviation’. 1970: London (Roy. Aeronaut. Soc.).
12.
Damage Tolerance in Aircraft Structures (STP-486). 1971: Philadelphia (ASTM).
13.
The Failure of Metals by Fatigue. 1947: Melbourne (Univ. Press).
14.
Fatigue and Fracture of Metals (edited byMurrayW. M.). 1952: New York (Technology Press, MIT, & John Wiley).
15.
Civil Aircraft Accident. 1955: London (HMSO).
16.
Colloquium on Fatigue (edited byWeibullW.OdquistF. K. G.). 1956: Berlin (Springer).
17.
Fatigue in Aircraft Structures (edited byFreudenthalA. M.). 1956: New York and London (Academic Press).
18.
Fatigue of Aircraft Structures (STP-203).1956: Philadelphia (ASTM).
19.
Metal Fatigue (edited byPopeJ. A.). 1959: London (Chap-man and Hall).
20.
Symposium on Fatigue of Aircraft Structures (STP-274). 1959: Philadelphia (ASTM).
21.
PugsleyA. G., Ref. 13, p. 65.
22.
SamsonD. R., Ref. 1, p. 316.
23.
TroughtonA. J., J. Roy. Aeronaut. Soc., 1967, 71, 185.
24.
ArnsteinK.LE. L., Metals and Alloys, 1939, 10, 205.
25.
GassnerE., Ref. 17, p. 185.
26.
ArnsteinK., Proc. Soc. Exper. Stress Analysis, 1946, 3, 129.
27.
DrydenH. L.RodeR V.KuhnP., Ref. 14, p. 29.
28.
HaglageT. L.AH. A., Ref. 6, p. 137.
29.
ColemanT. L., Ref. 4, pp. 161–195.
30.
TaylorJ., ‘Proceedings of the International Conference on Fatigue of Metals’, p. 651. 1956: London (Inst. Mech. Eng.).
31.
Ref. 8, p. 206.
32.
HunterP. A., ‘Operational Experiences of Turbine-Powered Commercial Transport Airplanes’ (NASA-TN-D-1392), p. 128. 1962: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
33.
HunterP. A., Ref. 32, p. 138.
34.
HunterP. A.WM. W., ‘Maneuver Accelerations Experienced during Routine Operations of a Commercial Turbojet Transport Airplane’ (NASA-TN-D-1801), p. 5. 1963: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
35.
HunterP. A., ‘Summary of Center-of-Gravity Accelerations Experienced by Commercial Transport Airplanes in Land-ing Impact and Ground Operations’ (NASA-TN-D-6124), p. 37. 1971: Washington DC (Govt. Printing Office).
36.
McCullochA. J., Ref. 20, p. 52.
37.
VallatP., Ref. 1, p. 283.
38.
StoneM., Ref. 4, p. 29.
39.
BryanD. F., Ref. 6, p. 761.
40.
JewettF. D.AS. A., Proc. Soc. Exper. Stress Analysis, 1945, 3, 123.
41.
PierpontW. G., ibid., 1947, 4, 1.
42.
Ref. 30, p. 655.
43.
Ref. 8, p. 245.
44.
I am,B. J.‘Symposium on Acoustical Fatigue’ (SIP 284), p. 1. 1963: Philadelphia (ASTM).
45.
WagnerJ. G., Ref. 2, P. 322.
46.
MaurerO. F.MR. M., Ref. 6, p. 563.
47.
Ref. 24, p. 204.
48.
WilliamsJ. K., Ref. 4, p. 108.
49.
EastepF. E.CS. C.Jr.Materials and Struc-tural Dynamics, p. 36. 1970: New York (Amer. Inst. Aeronaut. Astronaut.).
SmithC. R., Proc. Amer. Soc. Test. Mat., 1960, 60, 593.
107.
HeywoodR. B., Engineering, 1957, 183, 174.
108.
Ref. 96, p. 164.
109.
LarssonS. E., Ref. 4, p. 337.
110.
KirkbyW. T.RP. R., Ref. 4, p. 254.
111.
SaundersS. C., Ref. 6, p. 131.
112.
Ref. 89, p.21
113.
LipsittH. A.FrankD. F.SmithG C., Ref. 6, p. 116.
114.
Ref. 41, p. 4.
115.
DrydenH. L.RhodeR V.KuhnP., Ref. 14, p. 27.
116.
Ref. 30, p. 653.
117.
ComillonJ., Ref. 17, p. 320.
118.
Ref. 8, p. 231.
119.
BryanD. F., Ref. 6, p. 759.
120.
McCullochA. J., Ref. 20, p. 38.
121.
LowndesH. B.Jr.MillerW. D., Ref. 4, p. 155.
122.
Ref. 32, p. 137.
123.
HunterP. A., J. Aircraft, 1967, 4, (6), 515.
124.
ButlerJ. P., Ref. 30, p. 866.
125.
DrydenH. L.RhodeR V.KuhnP., Ref. 14, p. 23.
126.
McCullochA. J., Ref. 20, p. 35.
127.
Ref. 8, p. 209.
128.
Ibid., p. 240.
129.
WhitfordD. H.JR. J., Ref. 6, p. 854.
130.
BouchardE. D., Ref. 9, p. 116.
131.
Ref. 32, p. 135.
132.
ColemanT. L.AP. A., Ref. 6, p. 126.
133.
Ref. 32, p. 136.
134.
ColemanT. L.AP. A., Ref. 6, p. 127.
135.
Ref. 41, p. 6.
136.
JewelJ. W.StickleJ. W., Ref. 32, p. 53.
137.
Ref. 123, p. 516.
138.
McCullochA. J., Ref. 20, p. 46.
139.
PepplerW. G. (Director of Engineering, Allegheny Airlines), private communication, April22, 1971.
140.
AsvittC. A. (United Air Lines).
141.
AultR. B. (Western Air Lines, Inc.).
142.
FarrahJ. T. (Seaboard World Airlines).
143.
HettermanD. P. (Delta Air Lines, Inc.).
144.
JuddF. C. (Northwest Air Lines, Inc.).
145.
RobertsR. M. (North Central Airlines, Inc.).
146.
WeesnerJ. (Pan American World Airways, Inc.).
147.
Handbook of Experimental Stress Analysis (edited byHetenyiM.), Chap. 13.1950: New York and London (John Wiley).
148.
Fatigue and Fracture of Metals (edited byMurrayW. M.). 1952: New York (John Wiley).
149.
PetersonR. E., ‘Stress-Concentration Design Factors’.1953: New York (John Wiley).
150.
Fatigue in Aircraft Structures (edited byFreudenthalA. M.). 1956: New York and London (Academic Press).
151.
HarrisW. J., ‘Metallic Fatigue’.1961: London (Pergamon Press).
152.
GroverH. J., ‘Fatigue in Aircraft Structures’ (NAVAIR 01-1A-13).1966.
153.
WulpiD. V., ‘How Components Fail’.1966: Metals Park, Ohio (ASM).
154.
SmithC. R., ‘Design Tips for Preventing Fatigue Failures’, Assembly Eng., 1968, 11, (Mar.), (Apr.), (May).
155.
GroverH. J.AA. A., ‘Current Problems in Prevention of Fatigue’, DMIC REP. S-25.1968: Columbus, Ohio (Battelle Mem. Inst.).
156.
Proceedings of the Air Force Conference on Fatigue, and Fracture of Aircraft Structures and Materials(AFFDL-TR-70-144).1969: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (US Air Force).
157.
SmithC. R., ‘Tips on Fatigue’ (NAVWEPS 00-25-559).1963: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
158.
BruhnE. F., ‘Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures’, Chap. C-13.1965: Cincinnati, Ohio (Tri-State Offset Co.).
159.
Five, not open, literature references.
160.
WeesnerJ.(Pan American World Airways), private communication, 24Feb.1971.
161.
JohnsonP. C. (American Airlines), private communication, enclosure 3, Ref. 141.
162.
AsvittC. A.(United Airlines), letter dated4Mar.1971.
163.
FAA Report to Operators, enclosure, Ref. 141.
164.
DoughertyJ. E., Ref. 4, p. 76.
165.
DoughertyJ. E., ibid., p. 85.
166.
StoneR. A., ‘Technical Summary of 22nd Annual Int ernat Air Safety Seminar’, p. 3. 1969: Arlington, Va (Flight. Safety Foundation, Inc.).
167.
HolshouserW. L.DR. D., ‘Fatigue Failure of Metal Components as a Factor in Civil Aircraft Accidents’, p. 3. 1971: Washington, DC (National Transportation Safety Board).
John Toland, ‘Ships in the Sky’.1957: New York (Henry Holt and Co.).
208.
GoldstromJ., ‘A Narrative History of Aviation’.1930: New York (Macmillan).
209.
GoughH. J., ‘The Fatigue of Metals’.1924: London (Scott, Greenwood, and Son).
210.
TeedP. L., Ref. 19, pp. 262–282.
211.
EdwardsH. H., J. Franklin Inst., 1843, 5, 205.
212.
RankineW. J. M., ibid., 1843, 6, 178.
213.
Eng. News Record,1919, 82, 620.
214.
PlumbridgeW. J.AD. A., Met. Rev., 1969, 14, 119.
215.
de Forest,A. V.Trans. Amer. Soc. Mech. Eng., 1936, 58, A–23.
216.
SchijveJ., ‘Fatigue Crack Propagation’ (STP-415), p. 421. 1967: Philadelphia (ASTM).
217.
GoughH. J., Ref. 190, p. 142.
218.
EelesE. G.ThurstonR. C. A., Ocean Eng., 1968, 1, 175.
219.
TemplinR. L., Proc. Amer. Soc. Test. Mat., 1933, 33, 379.
220.
Aerospace Structural Metals Handbook, Vol. 11.1963: Syracuse, NY (Univ. Press).
221.
SchwabR. C.JE. J., Ref. 10, p. 213.
222.
RaringR. H., Stress-Corrosion Testing,.of_ Titanium (STP-397), p. vii. 1966: Philadelphia (ASTM).
223.
BrownB. F., Mater. Research Stand., 1966, 6, 132.
224.
FiggeI. E.MC. M., Crack Propagation, Delayed Failure, and Residual Static Strength of Titanium, Alumin-um, and Stainless Steel Alloys in Aqueous Environments (NASA TN D-3825).1967: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
George Sachs, WADC Rep:TR-53-254 (Contract AF 33(616)-392).1954: Washington, DC (Dept. of Commerce PB 121667).
230.
MansfieldH., ‘Vision the Story of Boeing’, p. 40. 1966: New York (Popular Library).
231.
WilliamsJ. K., Ref. 4, p. 99.
232.
SpauldingE. H., Ref. 30, p. 629.
233.
Ref. 63, p. 363.
234.
StoneM., Ref. 4, p. 39.
235.
SwiftT., Ref. 12, p. 164.
236.
Ref. 15, p. 10.
237.
Ibid., p. 31.
238.
Ibid., p. 127.
239.
HeywoodR. B., Ref. 16, p. 94.
240.
CohenB., Ref. 15, p. 30.
241.
AtkinsonR. J., Ref. 17, p. 289.
242.
BarroisW., Ref. 1, p. 243.
243.
BarroisW., ‘Manual on Fatigue of Structures’ (MAN-8-70).1970: Neuilly-sur-Seine (AGARD).
244.
SchijveJ., Ref. 1, p. 50.
245.
ButlerJ. P., Ref. 6, p. 30.
246.
Ref. 85, p. 524.
247.
GerberT. LFuchsH. O., Ref. 99, p. 276.
248.
ElberW., Ref. 12, p. 230.
249.
BrothersA. J.HillM.ParterM. T.SpitzigW. A.WiebeW.WolffU E., ‘Applications of Electron Micro-fractography to Materials Research’ (STP-493), p. 3. 1970: Philadelphia (ASTM).
250.
Ref. 220, p. 101.
251.
PayneA. O., Ref. 30, p. 645.
252.
KramerI. R., Ref. 6, p. 281.
253.
WaltersK. T., Ref. 20, p. 99.
254.
SpeakmanE. R., Ref. 99, p. 218.
255.
Engineer (London),1886, 62, 118.
256.
GiddingsH., Ref. 17, p. 358.
257.
FitchG. E.JackmanR. E.HorsfallW. P., Ref. 6, p. 738.
258.
SmithC. R.DG. D., Ref. 18, p. 25.
259.
BreyanW., Ref. 10, p. 151.
260.
BreyanW., ibid., p. 155.
261.
JohnstoneW. W.OPA. OP., Ref. 17, p. 431.
262.
JohnstoneW. W.OA. O., ibid., p. 434.
263.
DonaldsonD. R.EW. E., ‘Proceedings of the Crack Propagation Symposium’, p. 436. 1962: Cranfield, Bedford (College of Aeronautics).
264.
StoneM., Ref. 4, p. 7.
265.
StoneM., ibid., p. 31.
266.
SchwakeR. O., Ref. 6, P. 871.
267.
BryanD. F., ibid., p. 771.
268.
FitchG. E.JackmanR. E.HorsfallW P., ibid., p. 724.
HartmanA., ‘Fatigue Tests on Single-Lap Joints in Clad 2024-T3 Aluminium Alloy Manufactured by a Combination of Riveting and Adhesive Bonding’ (Rep. M2170).1966: Amsterdam (Nat. Aerospace Research Lab.).
274.
SikorskyI. I., Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., 1955, 169, 1183.
275.
Ann. Reliability Maintainability, 1970, 9, 160.
276.
Aerospace Structures Design Conference. 1969: Seattle, Washington (Seattle Professional Eng. Employees Assoc.).
277.
Structures (AIAA/ASME 11th Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference).1970: New York (Amer. Inst. Aeronaut. Astronaut.).
278.
Materials and Structural Dynamics, ibid.
279.
2nd Aerospace Structures Design Conference. 1970: Seattle, Washington (Seattle Professional Eng. Employees Assoc.).
280.
IrwinG. R.AA. A., Met. Rev., 1965, 10,223.
281.
Fracture Toughness Testing and Its Applications (STP-381). 1965: Philadelphia (ASTM).
282.
GeorgeC. W.GroverS F.ChalmersB.Ref. 13, p. 60.
283.
Ref. 41, p. 7.
284.
HustonW. D., Ref. 1, p. 133.
285.
CastleC. B.FJ. F., ‘Fatigue Investigation of Full-Scale Wing Panels of 7075 Aluminium Alloy’ (NASA TN D-635).1961: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
286.
MelconM. A.JA. J., Ref. 3, p. 393.
287.
SchijveJ., Ref. 3, p. 407.
288.
SchijveJ., ibid., p. 408.
289.
BryanD. F., Ref. 6, p. 764.
290.
McCullochA. J.MelconM A.CrichlowW.J.FosterH. W.RebmanR., ‘Investigation of the Representa-tion of Aircraft Service Loadings in Fatigue Tests’ (ASD-TR-61-435), p. 154. 1962: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (US Air Force).
291.
WatsonR. E.LL. L., ‘Proceedings of the Symposium on Fatigue of Aircraft Structures’, p. 906. 1959: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio (US Air Force).
292.
SwansonS. R., Mater. Research Stand., 1968, 8, 10.
293.
JacobyG. H., Ref. 10, p. 185.
294.
SchutzW., private communication.
295.
GoughH., Proc. Amer. Soc. Test. Mat., 1933, 33, (II), 3.
296.
GoughJ. H., ibid., p. 384.
297.
LowndesH. B.Jr.DW. D., Ref. 4, p. 799.
298.
HarpurN. F.JA. J., ibid., p. 368.
299.
FitchG. E.JackmanR. E.HorsfallW P., Ref. 6, p. 742.
300.
Ref. 244, p. 431.
301.
HarpurN. F.JA. J., Ref. 4, p. 348.
302.
SaundersS. C., Ref. 6, p. 136.
303.
FitchG. E.JackmanR. E.HorsfallW P., ibid., p. 737.
304.
GruffJ. J.GJ. G., ibid., p. 521.
305.
WeiR. P.NovakS. R.WilliamsD R., ‘Specialists’ Meeting on Stress-Corrosion Testing Methods’ (Conf. Proc. No. 98), p. 5–1. 1971: Neuilly-sur-Seine (AGARD).
306.
BarsomJ. M., Eng. Fracture Mech., 1971, 3, 15.
307.
AndersonW. E., Ref. 286, p.1–4.
308.
FiggeI. E., ‘An Empirical Equation Relating Fatigue Limit and Mean Stress’ (NASA TN-D-3883).1967: Washington, DC (Govt. Printing Office).
309.
JamesD., Ref. 4, p. 201.
310.
HyattM. V., Corrosion, 1970, 26, (11), 487.
311.
McDowellK. O.HinkeldeyP. L.Schimmel-buschH. W., Metals Eng. Quart., 1970, 10, 45.
312.
GrosskreutzJ. C., Ref. 6, p. 52.
313.
OstermannF., Met. Trans., 1971, 2, (10), 2897.
314.
JarfallL., ‘Fatigue Cycling of Riveted or Bolted Joints: Appendix: ’Optimum Design of Joints: The Stress-Severity Factor Concept, Rep. (HF-1239 FFA), p. A-6.1969: Stockholm (Aeronautical Research Inst. of Sweden).
315.
JarfallL., ibid., p. A–12.
316.
RaphaelC.‘Structural Adhesives Bonding’ (edited byBodnarM. J.), p. 99. 1966: New York and London (Inter-science).
317.
Ref. 93, p. A-19.
318.
Boeing Company, private communication, 4Nov.1966.
319.
HudsonD. E., ‘Earthquake Engineering’(edited byWiegelR. L.), p. 146. 1970: Syracuse, NJ (Prentice-Hall).
320.
HalmshawR., Metals Eng. Quart., 1970, 10, 13.
321.
WeldonW. J., ‘Proceedings of the Seventh Symposium on Non-destructive Evaluation of Components and Materials’, p. 419. 1969: San Antonio (Southwest Research Institute).
