Many military aircraft have reached or exceeded their original design life, and have been subject to significant increase in maintenance and repair cost due to multiple site damage (MSD). In order to assessing the effects of MSD on the structural integrity of aircraft lap joints, the wing lap joint of certain model military aircraft with MSD was analyzed using special code FRANC2D/L. The rivet holes along the top row of the outer skin of lap joint were considered as the independent structural unit for the simulated MSD cracks. The stress intensity factors (SIFs) at each crack tip with different distribution loads at the rivet holes were computed and show that the analysis results have good coherence with the available literature data. It also shows that the SIF at each crack tip s a function of crack length can be calculated by the crack growth simulation capability of FRANC2D/L. The SIF values are not sensitive to the rivet load distribution manner, which has seriously influence on MSD crack growth direction. Rivet loading can be best molded quadratic load distribution over one half of rivet hole relative to uniform load distribution and point load. As a result of this analysis, it is postulated that for MSD in aircraft lap joints, compliance measurements may provide a useful tool for assessing the structural integrity of the lap joints.

Three-dimensional finite element model of a bolted joint has been developed in the non-linear finite element code MSC.Marc and attempts were made to validate it by comparing results with those of experiments and other finite element. Issues in modeling the contact between the joint parts, which affect the accuracy and efficiency of the model, were presented. Experimental measurements of surface strains and load transfer ratio(LTR) were compared with results from finite element analysis. The results show that three-dimensional finite element model of bolted joint can produce results in close agreement with experiment. Three-dimensional effects such as bolt titling, seconding and through-thickness variations in stress and strain are well represented by such models. Three-dimensional finite element analysis was also used to study the effects of different parameters on the mechanical behaviour of single lap bolted joints. The results show that straight hole, small bolt diameter, and big hole pitch are selected first for bolted joint if other conditions allowed, and effect of bolt material on LTR of joint is small for small load. Interference and pre-stress should be strictly controlled for bolted joints in order to attain the best fatigue capability of lap joint.

Three-dimensional finite element model of a cracked bolted joint has been developed in the non-linear finite element code MSC.Marc and attempts were made to validate it by comparing results with those of experiments and other finite element. Issues in modeling the contact between the joint parts, which affect the accuracy and efficiency of the model, were presented. Experimental measurements of load transfer were compared with results from finite element analysis. The results show that three-dimensional finite element model of cracked bolted joint can produce results in close agreement with experiment. Three-dimensional effects such as bolt titling, seconding and through-thickness variations in stress and strain are well represented by such models. Three-dimensional finite element analysis was also used to study the effects of hole mod and crack on the load transfer behaviour of single lap bolted joints. The results show that hole mode has big effect on load transfer of cracked bolted joint. In the whole progress of crack growth, the load transfer through bolt 1 decrease, and almost all of the load duduction of bolt 1 transfer into blot 2 rather than into bolt 3.

The sensibility analysis of the factors to crack growth life has been done. The results show that the input parameters have the following precedence ordering: fatigue crack growth threshold, fracture spectrum, initial crack, fracture toughness, the sensibility values are 11.25, 8.5417, 0.8333, 0.1125, respectively. The model parameters have the following precedence ordering: n, p, C, q. the sensibility values are 6.0417, -3.9583, 1.25, 0.1812, respectively. The reliability analysis was conducted by Monte-Carlo method, the results show that the crack growth life accord with lognormal distribution. The lives with different reliability were obtained. The reliability analysis results of the crack growth life has provided the data for a hybrid approach based on a mixture of the traditional safe-life and damage tolerance techniques which were used as an optimal strategy for ensuring the helicopter structural integrity.

According to standard test method for fatigue crack growth rates of metallic materials, the crack growth rate of 30NCD16 at three stress ratio (R=0.1, 0.3 and 0.5) were measured. Based on linear elasticity fracture mechanics theory, the fatigue crack growth rate was studied through the nonlinear least squares fitting method. The Paris model parameters at steady growth region and near threshold growth region and NASGRO model parameters were obtained. The effective stress intensity factors versus curves at three stress ratios were determined by crack closure effect. The results show that the Paris equation can preferably describe relations at steady growth region. At this region the model parameter m lies 2.5-4. This result is consistent with the known statistical facts of most metallic materials. NASGRO equation can preferably describe relations from near threshold growth region to high values region. all the test data at three stress ratio was able to correlate and . Crack closure was the major factor in correlating stress ratio and crack growth rate, the degree of crack closure weaken with increasing stress ratio.