This electronic flyer highlights our capabilities and activities in the area of Aircraft Structural Analysis. Please sign our guestbook. For additional information, e-mail Dr. Kenneth E. Griffin, Southwest Research Institute®.

Aircraft Structural Analysis 

Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI®) structural engineering specialists have a combined total of more than 150 years of experience in analysis of structures under various load conditions. SwRI employs the latest technology in computational simulation to provide clients with real-time data formatted for accurate analysis and verification of finite element analysis. SwRI’s analytical capabilities are supplemented by testing of structures to substantiate the models.

Capabilities

SwRI has the capability to perform all levels of structural analysis, from individual component to complete assemblies. Development of finite element models from geometric data or modification of existing models for component improvement or repair is included in these capabilities. The staff has performed stress analysis services for commercial and government clients in many areas of aircraft structures, including wing, empennage, fuselage, landing gear, and whole aircraft modeling and simulation.

Finite element model (FEM) of aircraft forward fuselage

Detailed modeling for repair development and support for damage tolerance analysis

Experience

  • Expand/review/refine existing fine element models (FEM)
  • Idealization of wing, fuselage, and specialized structural models
  • Experimental validation of FEM
  • New finite models from geometric models (CAD) or historical loft data
  • FEM usage; development of component repair scheme
  • Models for composite repair of metallic structures
  • Modeling of composite materials
  • Analysis of repair and maintenance actions
  • Engineering support at customer location

Typical FEM stress contours on deformed wing

Analysis Tools

  • NASTRAN, ANSYS, ABAQUS FEM solvers
  • StressCheck
  • PATRAN, FEMAP, Pro-Engineer pre- and post-processors
  • PC-based software supported by high-end PC platforms for multiple users simultaneously

Full aircraft FEM development, verification, validation and analytical application

 

This flyer was published in October 2007. For more information about Aircraft Structural Analysis, contact Dr. Kenneth E. Griffin, Manager, Phone (210) 522-6873, or David H. Wieland, Principal Engineer, Phone (210) 522-3864, Fax (210) 522-3042, Mechanical and Materials Engineering Division, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510.

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