Design Tools for Fatigue Life Prediction in Surface Treated Aerospace Components

A methodology and software for life prediction of surface treated components is sought to complement existing life prediction technology. An innovative approach with high probability of success is proposed. The proposed modeling framework is based on a recent promising approach developed by Research Applications, Inc. (RAI) that has captured the attention of several military aerospace and commercial heavy equipment manufacturers. In Phase I, RAI's mechanics based model and framework will be validated using test data on surface treated specimens of the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V. The framework will be designed for further development in Phase II as a stand-alone software product for marketing to the commercial sector and as a plug-in to design codes used by the JSF Program and other Navy Prime Contractors. The proposed model will also benefit Navy's general prognostic methods developments related to structural health monitoring.