Landing Gear Fatigue Model K Modification

The Air Force maintains landing gear systems to ensure acceptable structural integrity during their service life.As landing gear systems throughout the Air Force are pushed further and further beyond their original design life, there is a crucial need to develop more precise predictive models addressing the fatigue characteristics of landing gear parts. Fatigue life reduction due to surface finish and microstructure changes caused by exposure to environments and chemicals during processing must be researched and K factors associated with specific material/process combinations must be determined. During Phase I performance, SES will develop K factors, based on a proven statistical methodology. These K factors will then be used to accurately debit strain-life curves which are needed for landing gear fatigue models to ensure the safety of the aircraft fleet as it continues in heavy use far past its originally intended design life. Knowledge of how various processes affect fatigue life will also aid in selecting processes that have the least influence on fatigue.