Review of Aircraft Crash Structural Response Research.

A review of aircraft crash structural response research has been carried out by studying the literature, discussions with researchers working in that area, and visits to facilitates/personnel involved in conducting and/or monitoring aircraft crash structural response investigations. Aircraft structures consisting of conventional built-up metallic construction and those consisting of advanced composite materials were of interest. The latter type of material and construction is of particular interest since their use is expanding rapidly, and crashworthiness of such structures is of increasing importance. Some recent theoretical and experimental studies of the behavior of composite-material structures subjected to severe static, dyanmic, and/or impact conditions are noted. Such topics as crashworthiness testing of composite fuselage structures, the impact resistance of graphite and hybrid configurations, and the effects of elastomeric additives on the mechanical properties of epoxy resin and composite systems are reviewed. A reivew is made of some current and planned research to investigate experimentally the mechanical failure, postfailure, and energy-absorbing behavior of a sequence of composite-material structural elements and structural assemblages subjected to static loads or to simulated crash-impact loads.