Graphite Composite Landing Gear Component -Upper Drag Brace Hardware for F-15Aircraft.

摘要

This report summarizes work performed to design, fabricate and test a graphite epoxy composite material upper drag brace suitable for direct replacement of the current titanium upper drag brace for the F-15 aircraft landing gear assembly. Design, fabrication, test procedures, test results, and failure analysis are presented in detail. The composite material brace failed at less than design load. The program established, at the present time, that drag braces and similar landing gear hardware can not be satisfactorily fabricated from graphite epoxy material for use as a direct replacement of existing metallic hardware in some applications. The volume and shape of available space in these direct replacement applications does not normally allow the use of optimum graphite epoxy material design and fabrication techniques. However, as demonstrated by the successful development of a graphite epoxy side brace suitable for direct replacement of existing metallic hardware on the A-37B aircraft, weight and cost saving applications to current aircraft are feasible. Therefore, each potential application must be individually evaluated. Work is required to improve analytical, fabrication and nondestructive inspection techniques for graphite epoxy materials. It can be reasonably expected that current and future efforts by the Air Force, industry and the educational community, aimed at these improvements, will increase the profitable application of graphite epoxy material to landing gear hardware. (Author)