PSI - Issue 57

Andrew Halfpenny et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 57 (2024) 718–730

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Andrew Halfpenny / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2023) 000–000

Fig. 2. Simulation Verification and Validation (SV&V)

1.2.2. Proving ground (or flight test) profiling The proving ground (or flight test) profile represents the real-world usage in the form of a series of discrete events. Automotive proving ground examples include road profiles, such as, Belgian block, city, urban, o ff -road, cross-country, potholes, and corrugations. These may be traversed at various speeds and vehicle weight conditions. Aerospace examples include flight manoeuvres, such as, taxi, take-o ff , climb, level flight, turns, decent, and landing events. These may be undertaken at various rates, configurations, and conditions. The intention is to provide a scientifically reproducible set of conditions to allow detailed measurements to be made which are otherwise impracticable under real-world conditions. For example, advanced instrumentation are used on proving ground vehicles and flight test aircraft to better measure and understand component loading. Such extensive instrumentation campaigns are impractical on real roads (or aircraft) by real customers. The statistical target customer is characterised by a given mix (or profile) of proving ground or flight events. This ensures that accelerated qualification tests are produced using scientifically reproducible data over a statistically representative usage profile. A detailed study of proving ground correlation in the automotive industry is given by Halfpenny and Pompetzki (2011). 1.2.3. Accelerated qualification tests These are derived from proving ground (or flight test) measurements which are then suitably scaled by the target user profile. Loads are edited to reduce test times whilst ensuring damage retention and avoiding changes in the failure mode. This process is known as ‘Accelerated Testing’, ‘Vibration Profile Design’, or ‘Fatigue Editing’. An introduc tion to accelerated testing is given by ReliaSoft (2017). Specific application to fatigue qualification testing of structural systems is given by Halfpenny and Thumati (2021). Further applications applied to automotive and aerospace vibrat ing system is given by Halfpenny et al (2007), and Halfpenny and Walton (2010) respectively. The methods referenced are in compliance with international qualification testing standards MIL-STD-810G (2008), RTCA / DO-160G (2010), and Def Stan 00-35 (2021).