R. A. Bayles, Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, DC; N. Goldsmith, Defense Science and Technology Organization, Melbourne, Australia; M. Roth, Quality Engineering Test Establishment, Gatineau, QC, Canada; E. Ferko, Lockheed Martin Company, Marietta, GA
A fractographic analysis was performed to determine the relationship between imposed marker cycles and simulated flight hours in the full-scale fatigue test of a large aircraft. The fractographic analysis data was used to determine crack growth rates responding to local loads, in a regression analysis to determine when cracking initiated, and to support a determination of remaining fatigue life for individual aircraft in a fleet.
