

In this manner it was possible to study strain fields in and around the Lockheed-designed composite doubler using realistic aircraft load scenarios and to assess the potential for interply delaminations and disbonds between the aluminum and the laminate. Also, structures which modeled key aspects of the door corner installation were subjected to extreme tension, shear, and bending loads. Tension-tension fatigue and residual strength tests attempted to grow engineered flaws in coupons with composite doublers bonded to aluminum skin.
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This paper reports on a series of structural tests which have been conducted on coupons and subsize test articles. By focusing on a specific commercial aircraft application - reinforcement of the L-1011 door frame - and encompassing all tasks such as design, analysis, installation, and inspection, this program is designed to prove the capabilities of composite doublers. Sandia Labs is conducting a proof-of-concept project with Delta Air Lines, Lockheed Martin, Textron, and the FAA which seeks to remove any remaining obstacles to the approved usemore » of composite doublers.

Composite patching is a rapidly maturing technology which shows promise of cost savings on aging aircraft. Recent DOD and other government developments in the use of bonded composite patches on metal structures has supported the need for research and validation of such doubler applications on U.S. One of the major thrusts established under the FAA`s National Aging Aircraft Research Program is to foster new technologies associated with civil aircraft maintenance. Validation of bonded composite doubler technology through application oriented structural testing Development of appropriate inspection calibration standards are also discussed.« less Application of ultrasonics, x-ray, and eddy current to composite doublers and results from test specimens loaded to provide a changing flaw profile, are presented in this paper. This paper reports on a series of NDI tests conducted on laboratory test structures and on a fuselage section from a retired L-1011. No singlemore » NDI method can inspect for every flaw type, therefore we need to know NDI capabilities and limitations. Surveillance of cracks or corrosion in the parent aluminum material beneath the double is also a concern. Primary inspection requirements for these doublers include identifying disbonds between composite laminate and aluminum parent material, and delaminations in the composite laminate. In this study, a specific composite application was chosen on an L-1011 aircraft. Recent DOD and other government developments in using bonded composite doublers on metal structures support the need for validation of such doubler applications on US certificated airplanes. One major thrust in FAA`s National Aging Aircraft Research Program is to foster new technologies in civil aircraft maintenance. Nondestructive inspection of bonded composite doublers for aircraft
