Generating Material Properties From Flight Representative Structures

High-speed flight vehicles commonly use carbon / carbon (C/C) and carbon / silicon carbide (C/SiC) for structural components.These refractory composite materials are chosen because of their superior structural properties at the elevated temperatures.In most cases, their thermophysical and strength properties are characterized using flat and relatively thin material test plates that are fabricated using processes appropriate for parts of this size.While this material characterization approach is convenient, it is not guaranteed to yield material properties that are representative of those observed on flight-representative components, as those parts frequently employ higher thicknesses, advanced material architecture features, and more geometric complexity such as curvature.The proposed Phase I effort addresses this issue through an integrated experimental and analytical program focusing on the development of test methods for curved specimens, comparisons of the properties derived from flat and curved test specimens, and definition of a material testing component to provide flight-representative material test specimens.The effort includes testing and analytical investigations at both ambient and elevated temperature conditions, and would provide proof-of-concept of the proposed testing and analysis methodologies which would be extended in a potential Phase II program.