Development and Evaluation of a Microburst Test Apparatus for Use as a Minimum Destructive Test for Parachute Material
Abstract
Conventional testing of parachute canopy materials to identify the extent of polymer degradation requires large amounts of material resulting in extensive repairs if the material is found to be sound. A microburst test apparatus designed and built at the Materials Research Labs is capable of testing the canopy in-situ, with a degree of damage confined to a 3.2 mm diameter hole. This does not require repair and fits between a ripstop repeat on canopy material from modern day T-1 0 parachutes. The microburst unit gives a digital readout for maximum pressure to burst and pressure to burst/time integral. Correlations between these results and those from conventional tensile and Mullens burst tests showed the microburst test results to more closely resemble those from accepted tensile test methods. Keywords: Parachute fabrics; and Burst tester. (Australia)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA158110
Entities
People
- G. T. Egglestone
- Mark A. Taylor
- N. M. Browne
Organizations
- Defence Science and Technology Group