Structural analysis of the controlled impact demonstration of a jet transport airplane

Abstract

In 1980 NASA Langley Research Center and the Federal Aviation Administration began an extensive research and development program to quantitatively assess transport airplane crashes. As part of this program, a survivable, full-scale crash test of a transport airplane was planned. On December 1,1984, the FAA, NASA and industry contractors conducted a remotely piloted crash test using an out-of-service Boeing 720 jet transport airplane. A major purpose of the test, designated the Controlled Impact Demonstration is to advance analytical modeling techniques for simulating transport crash dynamics. This paper describes NASA analyses using the nonlinear finite-element computer code Dynamic Crash Analysis of Structures. The research is described beginning with transport fuselage section drop tests and single frame models, culminating with finite-element models of the Boeing 720 airplane. The final model based on test and analysis, simulates the Controlled Impact Demonstration impact with excellent correlation.