FAILURE

Why do aircraft parts break?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aoAuW6UtUM
WHY DO AIRCRAFT PARTS BREAK?
1. Overload
2. Inadequate structural strength
MAJOR STRUCTURAL STRESSES
Aircraft structural members are designed to carry a load or to resist stress.
STRESS
The term stress is often used interchangeably with the word strain.
External loads or forces cause stress.
Stress is a materials internal resistance, or counterforce, that opposes deformation.
The degree of deformation of a material is strain.
THERE ARE FIVE MAJOR STRESSES
Tension
Compression
Torsion
Shear
Bending
TENSION
Tension is the stress that resists a force that tends to pull something apart.
COMPRESSION
It is the stress that resists a crushing force.
The compressive strength of a material is also measured in psi.
Compression is the stress that tends to shorten or squeeze aircraft parts.
TORSION
It is the stress that produces twisting.
While moving the aircraft forward, the engine also tends to twist it to one side, but
other aircraft components hold it on course. Thus, torsion is created.
The torsion strength of a material is its resistance to twisting or torque.
SHEAR
It is the stress that resists the force tending to cause one layer of a material to slide
over an adjacent layer.
Two riveted plates in tension subject the rivets to a shearing force. Usually, the
shearing strength of a material is either equal to or less than its tensile or compressive
strength.
Aircraft parts, especially screws, bolts, and rivets, are often subject to a shearing
force.
BENDING STRESS
It is a combination of compression and tension. The rod in the figure has been
shortened (compressed) on the inside of the bend and stretched on the outside of the
bend.
TYPE OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE
A. Instantaneous Failure
B. Elastic deformation/distortion (temporary shape change)
C. Plastic deformation/ distortion (permanent shape change)
D. Fracture
E. Progressive failure
 FATIGUE
Most serious:
Common mode of fracture of modern mechanical equipment
Occur during an interval considered structures normal service life
Like high altitude hypoxia, failure cracks are insidious and provide little or no
warning o impending failure.
Human vs material fatigue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aoAuW6UtUM
 CORROSION
Natural disintegration of a material as it is attacked by one or more substances in its
environment.
 WEAR
The slow, removal of material from the Surface of a component by mechanical
action is referred to as wear.
 ABRASIVE WEAR
Occurs when small abrasive particles (contaminants) cut into and remove material
from the surfaces of the two components which are held together while moving.
 ADHESIVE WEAR
When microscopy projections of the surfaces of the two components which are
sliding across each other make contact, Weld together and break off.
 CREEP / STRESS RUPTURE
The slow, gradual, plastic deformation of materials exposed to long-term load.