A B S T R A C T Aircraft joints feature prominently in aircraft structural degradation; fatigue cracking and corrosion damage are major issues, which can reduce joint strength and degrade service life. Protecting the structure against corrosion usually involves use of highly developed protective coatings -paints and sealants -and, increasingly, the application of corrosion inhibiting compounds (CICs) which retard corrosion principally by penetrating into crevices and cracks, and displacing water. A combination of coatings and CIC use can provide effective corrosion protection, but both interact -in different ways -with joint structural performance and overall system durability. This paper discusses the interaction between these two corrosion protection measures and fatigue performance of joints. The first issue relates to the extent to which application of CICs (or other lubricants) can cause a reduction in the fatigue life of mechanically fastened joints. The CICs are lubricants which will reduce the friction at the faying surface of the joint, and change the load transfer characteristics of the joint. This paper discusses results from a test program assessing the fatigue life and failure mode of simple riveted lap joints; the results show a distinct reduction in fatigue life for joints containing CICs, and the paper discusses the changes thought to be responsible for the reduction. The second issue discussed is the degradation of protective coatings in service. Joints are key locations for coating cracking and failure, because areas such as sheet ends and fastener heads, where displacements are concentrated, may produce concentrated strain in coatings. So far, however, the potential influence of aircraft loading on coating degradation prognostics has received little attention. This paper discusses the role of joint displacement in service as a factor contributing to degradation in aircraft coatings at joints, and argues that this local strain effect, and indeed structural loading history, needs to be considered in predicting and assessing rates of coating degradation. It describes analyses of displacements in aircraft joints, to identify the levels of strain and to identify the roles and relative contributions of the various deflections in the joints. The results indicate the potential for very large strains in coatings.
This paper discusses experiments investigating the effect of lubrication on surface damage in riveted lap joints which experience fatigue loading in aircraft structure. As part of a larger investigation into the effect of lubricants (specifically Corrosion Inhibiting Compounds, CICs) on fatigue performance, the fracture surfaces were examined to determine the crack initiation sites, and the failure modes involved. Scanning Electron Microscopy was also utilized to assess the nature of the fracture surfaces. The results showed that under the loading used, all the specimens which had not been treated with the CICs, and some treated specimens, failed by tensile failure of the sheet. Some treated specimens failed by rivet shearing. The results suggested that the presence of lubrication at the contacting surface might have reduced frictional load transfer, contributing to the change in failure mode. For specimens that failed in the sheet material, fatigue cracking and micro-void coalescence were the fracture modes, with the potential influence of fretting as a fatigue source.
Aircraft joints feature prominently in aircraft structural degradation. Fatigue cracking and corrosion damage can reduce joint strength and degrade service life. Corrosion management can include use of paints and sealants and, increasingly, the application of Corrosion Inhibiting Compounds (CICs) which retard corrosion, by penetrating into crevices and cracks, and displacing water. A combination of coatings and CIC use can provide effective corrosion protection, but both interact - in different ways - with structural performance and overall system durability. This paper discusses the interaction between these two corrosion protection measures and fatigue performance of joints. The first issue relates to a reduction in the fatigue life of mechanically-fastened joints after application of CICs (or other lubricants) The lubricating properties of the CICs reduce the friction at the faying surface, which may change the load transfer characteristics of the joint. The paper discusses results from a test program assessing the fatigue life and failure mode of riveted lap joints; the results show a marked reduction in fatigue life for joints containing CICs, and the paper discusses the changes which may be responsible for the reduction. The second issue discussed is the degradation of protective coatings in service. Joints are key locations for coating cracking and failure, since areas such as sheet ends and fastener heads, where displacements are concentrated, will produce concentrated strain in coatings. So far, however, the potential influence of aircraft loading on coating degradation prognostics has received little attention. The paper discusses the role of joint displacement in service as a factor contributing to early degradation of aircraft coatings, and argues that this local strain effect, and indeed structural loading history, needs to be considered in predicting and assessing rates of coating degradation. It describes initial analyses of displacements in aircraft joints, to identify the levels of coating strain and the roles and relative contributions of the various deflections in the joints. The results indicate the potential for very large strains in coatings.
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