| EPSRC Reference: |
GR/N14293/01 |
| Title: |
WELD PROCESSING DESIGN & DURABILITY OF WELDED AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLIES |
| Principal Investigator: |
Edwards, Professor L |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Materials Engineering |
| Organisation: |
Open University |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research (Pre-FEC) |
| Starts: |
01 December 2000 |
Ends: |
31 July 2004 |
Value (£): |
44,921
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| EPSRC Research Topic Classifications: |
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| Aerospace, Defence and Marine |
Manufacturing |
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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The programme will build on previous and continuing UK process research in welding of high strength aluminium alloys for aerospace applications. An integrated prediction scheme for fatigue durability and damage tolerance will be developed in which the contribution of weld process variables can be combined with design and service load data in a quantitative assessment of failure probabilities and damage tolerance.The interaction between fatigue cracks and microstructure under constant and variable amplitude loading will be studied in coupons manufactured using selected solid state and fusion welds. Fatigue behaviour in the important short crack regime will be included. Fatigue testing will be performed on large welded fabrications representing stringer and skin wing structure and also a wing spar. Coupon and large test samples will be compared in terms of their microstructure, residual stress, defect incidence and fatigue behaviour. Factors controlling differences between them relevant to fatigue will be identified and used to develop techniques to relate weld process variables to microstructure, HAZ and residual stress level in the larger structures. These will provide the basis for accurate prediction of fatigue lives. Solutions to improve the fail safety of integral structures produced by welding will also be sought.
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.open.ac.uk |