Advanced manufacturing development of a composite empennage component for L-1011 aircraft. Phase 3: Production readiness verification testing

Abstract

Twenty-two specimens of each of two key structural elements of the Advance Composite Vertical Fin (ACVF) were fabricated and tested. One element represented the front spar at the fuselage attachment area and the other element represented the cover at the fuselage joint area. Ten specimens of each element were selected for static testing. The coefficient of variation resulting from the tests was 3.28 percent for the ten cover specimens and 6.11 percent for the ten spar specimens, which compare well with metallic structures. The remaining twelve cover and twelve spar specimens were durability tested in environmental chambers which permitted the temperature and humidity environment to be cycled as well as the applied loads. Results of the durability tests indicated that such components will survive the service environment