Fatigue Test on a Full Scale Panel

Abstract

Fatigue test on a full scale panel with complex loading and geometry has been carried out by using a tri-axial test machine located in the laboratory of the University of Naples. The aeronautical test panel was designed and manufactured by Alenia. The demonstrator is made up of two parts which are linked by a transversal joint that is parallel to the stringer direction. A fatigue load was applied in the normal direction to the longitudinal joint, while a constant load was applied in the joint direction. The full scale panel was equipped with strain gauges for deformation state measurements. Preliminary static load tests were performed in order to provide deformation measurements for numerical correlation. The outcomes confirmed that the applied load level is consistent with a linear elastic material behaviour. Three intermediate failures occurred before the final one: the first two under a clip, while in the third case a panel frame failed. Finally after about 177,000 cycles the demonstrator broke down. A non linear finite element analysis was also carried out in order to correlate failure events that occurred during the demonstrator testing.