APPROACHES TO STRUCTURAL VERIFICATION TESTING OF MACH 3-15 VEHICLES
Abstract
Several alternate techniques are investigated for the structural verification testing of future aerospace vehicles. The investigation has a twofold objective: (1) to develop criteria for fatigue and ultimate strength verification testing of aerospace structures experiencing large thermal inputs over large areas, and (2) to establish a test program for the substantiation of the criteria thus obtained. The primary approach evaluated is reducing the size of the test article and hence the thermal input required by means of scaled structural models or components. A secondary approach is simulation of thermal effects by mechanical means. Two vehicle configurations are used for relative evaluation: a large Mach 3-4 vehicle similar to the SST and a smaller Mach 12-15 hypersonic manned vehicle. Detailed thermodynamic, strength, and test facilities and cost data relating to testing approaches, and combinations of approaches, of these two configurations are presented. From these data several conclusions are drawn. A comparison of cost is developed for the testing approaches; the most attractive combinations of approaches are selected and testing verification programs for these combinations are defined.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0826005
Entities
People
- H. D. Dill
- J. M. Finn
- R. A. Garrett