Short course/CPD
Aircraft Fatigue and Damage Tolerance
Course date: 02 Jul 2012 - 06 Jul 2012
Course overview
This unique course has been designed and developed to meet the needs of design and maintenance engineers in designing, analysing and maintaining aircraft. It presents the basic fundamentals of fatigue and fracture mechanics, as well as practical methods and case studies for meeting the durability and damage tolerance requirements. The course is also suitable to postgraduate students and researchers who perform research in this field.
The course consists of two main parts. Part 1 presents the basic theories of fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics, which is also suitable to automotive and civil engineers. Part 2 is designed to enhance the learning objectives offering specialist topics and case studies and exploring in greater depth. The course is focused on the metallic aircraft structures with a session being devoted to the comparison of fatigue damage modes of fibrous composites with metals.
Location
Cranfield University is located at the very heart of the UK – within the innovation triangle between London and the cities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Our central location provides easy access from the M1, excellent main line rail service as well as proximity to key international airports. Set in rolling countryside, Cranfield offers a rich, rural landscape complemented by thriving towns and picturesque villages.
- Road: We are just 10 minutes from Junctions 13 & 14 of the M1 motorway. There is free parking on campus.
- Rail: Milton Keynes or Bedford
- Air: London Luton (22 miles), Heathrow (50 miles) or Birmingham (70 miles).
Course fee:
£1535
Accommodation fee:
£445
£480
Accommodation is on a full-board basis from the evening before the course commences until the afternoon of the last day. The course fee includes refreshments and lunch during the day. The accommodation fee includes all other meals. Details of accommodation will be provided in the delegate information pack.
Speakers
Professor Phil Irving
CAA Chair in Damage Tolerance at Cranfield University and Head of the Damage Tolerance Group. Phil has been teaching, researching and publishing in the field of fatigue, structural integrity and damage tolerance in both industry and academia for the past 30 years. Since joining Cranfield in 1991 he has performed researcher over a wide range of aircraft and structural integrity areas in both metallic and polymer composite materials.
Professor John Bristow
Visiting Professor of Structural Integrity to Cranfield University; Co-founder of Airworthiness MSc programme. Formerly Head of the Structures and Materials Department of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). John has over 40 years of experience in the aircraft industry, in structural design and regulations, the De Havilland Division of H.S.A, and subsequently worked as a structural design surveyor covering both structural design and continued airworthiness aspects of all types of aircraft, metallic and composite, for the CAA. He was a founder member of the international team that produced regulatory guidance materials on composite structures for civil aircraft. He has presented papers on ageing aircraft, fracture mechanics, fatigue of helicopters, and composite structures.
Dr Xiang Zhang
Reader in Structural Durability and Integrity at Cranfield University. Xiang has over 30 years experience in aeronautical fatigue and damage tolerance in both metallic and polymer composite materials. She lectures and actively conducts research in this field, regularly speaks in international conferences and publishes in scientific journals. She has a particular research interest in the development and application of the finite element method for predicting fatigue failure and improving structural detail design. She holds a number of government and industrial research grants, published over 90 papers in this field, and provides supervision for PhD and masters research projects.
Robert G Eastin
(to be confirmed)
Robert earned a BSc in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MSc in Engineering Mechanics from Old Dominion University. In his current position with the FAA he advises on fatigue and damage tolerance issues involving analysis, test, operation and research and development on transport aircraft, general aviation aircraft, rotorcraft and engines. Prior to coming to the FAA in 1997, he worked in industry for 28 years. The majority of this time was spent working in the areas of fatigue and damage tolerance on major aircraft development programmes that included the DC-10, B-1A, Space Shuttle Orbiter, KC-10 and C-17.
How to register
Further information
For more information on this course or booking details please contact:
Academic Operations Unit
T: + 44 (0) 1234 754192
E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk
Further information
Course description
Objectives
- To provide an understanding of the principles and techniques in fatigue analysis and fracture mechanics.
- To provide worked examples and hands-on experience of solution methods and procedures in structural fatigue and damage tolerance problems.
- To make engineers and decision-makers aware of problem areas and the regulatory requirements for fatigue and damage tolerant design.
Who should attend?
- Stress engineers, design engineers, and analysts.
- Research students and research engineers.
- Responsible senior managers and technical programme managers.
- Airworthiness and certification engineers.
- Maintenance and repair engineers.
Benefits of attending
On completion of the course, delegates will gain:
- An appreciation of design philosophies and good design practice for structural durability and damage tolerance.
- Principles and techniques of fatigue and fracture mechanics analysis, strength and service durability predictions.
- Knowledge of the basics of fatigue endurance, damage tolerance and airworthiness issues in aircraft structures.
Topics and Principal Speakers
As well as benefiting from the expertise of a number of Cranfield academics who are experts in their field, delegates will also benefit from the expertise of invited external speakers.
Professor Philip E Irving
- Fatigue design philosophies
- Regulatory background on the civil & military aircraft
- Requirements for fatigue & damage tolerant design
- Damage tolerance and material selection - the role of strength level and toughness
- Inspection threshold and inspection intervals
- The requirements for NDT capability
Dr Xiang Zhang
- Fatigue analysis methods
- Linear Elastic Fracture Mechanics
- Calculation of fatigue crack growth lives
- Tools for life assessment - workshop session
- Fatigue loading spectrum
Professor John W Bristow
- Fatigue & fracture analysis of commuter aircraft structures
- Repair, Replacement and Regulations
- Airworthiness lessons from LUSAKS
- Ageing aircraft structures - update on current regulatory position
Robert G. Eastin
(to be confirmed)
- Damage tolerance 'WFD' - What is it and what are we doing about it?
- The need for 'LOV'
- Fatigue categories, fatigue management strategies
- evolution of part 25 fatigue requirements, the concept of LOV, the recently published 'WFD Rule'
Course Director
Dr Xiang Zhang
T: +44 (0) 1234 754621
F: +44 (0) 1234 758203
E: xiang.zhang@cranfield.ac.uk
