Virtual Test Certification of Aerospace Structures by Analysis

Certification tests for aircraft vehicle structures are necessary to ensure the load carrying capability and performance of each component and/or assembly. However, hardware testing is costly and delays the design cycle. Substantial cost and time savingsare possible by replacing a certification test with a virtual test by analysis. The objective of this proposed effort is to identify an Air Force certification test in the structural airframe verification process that can be targeted for phasedreplacement by selected analysis methods and associated software tools. For these tools, research will be performed into their limits of applicability and enhancements made to include risk/confidence assessments or to expand the limits of applicability.An airframe component approach will be used that requires many structural analysis technologies be considered. Lockheed Martin Aerospace (Fort Worth, TX and Marietta, GA) will assist with determining criteria for certification and provide candidate testdata from the F16, F22, and from a planned full-scale structural component of a redesigned C-130 cargo floor. A certification test will be chosen that considers the potential cost benefit (business case), and is applicable to unmanned air vehicles, spaceaccess vehicles, future strike fighters, and/or sustainment of military aircraft.A broad range of analytical certification methods would be developed and implemented into the commercial airframe structural analysis product called HyperSizerr. The primaryapplication of the method would be for military aircraft. The method may also be used either directly or with minor modifications by aerospace companies building components for the NASA led $4.5 billion Reusable Launch Vehicle program, for commercialtransports, for general aviation aircraft, and other transportation industries such as rail car and shipping.