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Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank
Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | en_ZA |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2012
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| _version_ | 1867614017915191296 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Franken, Christian Matthys |
| author2 | Venter, Gerhard |
| author_browse | Franken, Christian Matthys Venter, Gerhard |
| author_facet | Venter, Gerhard Franken, Christian Matthys |
| author_sort | Franken, Christian Matthys |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71971 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:21.489Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2012 |
| publishDateRange | 2012 |
| publishDateSort | 2012 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/71971 Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank Franken, Christian Matthys Venter, Gerhard Terblanche, E. Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Engineering. Dept. of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering. Fatigue life analysis Hot spot stress method Aluminum -- Fatique Fuel tanks -- Safety measures Fracture mechanics Cracking of aluminum tanks Stress corrosion UCTD Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Structural cracks have formed in the sub-structure of a tank that is rigidly mounted onto a truck chassis. These cracks have all formed at welds joining the various components of the aluminium sub-structure. This thesis proposes a solution methodology to address these failures. The first phase of this methodology (failure investigation) relies heavily on determining the life of the structure with fatigue life calculations. These calculations are done using the stress life method supplemented by the hot spot stress method. Experimental tests were conducted at an operational air force base to compile a composite duty cycle that is representative of the typical operation of the vehicle. This is followed by a finite element analysis which is used to calculate the scaling factor required to determine the hot spot stresses in the structure. These hot spot stresses are determined for three different crack areas and the estimated fatigue life of each of these points are calculated. The estimated fatigue lives are compared to the actual lives that were reported by the maintenance personnel, to determine a correlation factor. The comparison yields a maximum correlation factor of 9.8 and a minimum of 3.9. It is suggested that the minimum correlation factor of 3.9 is used to assess future solutions. It is also suggested to reduce the stresses by at least 37% to achieve the desired service life. Recommendations regarding the design of a repair are given. The methodology presented in this thesis provides the groundwork for a typical solution methodology that can be used at GRW Engineering. Recommendations for improvements to the method and its components are given. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Strukturele krake het ontstaan in die substruktuur van ’n tenk wat rigied gemonteer is op ’n vragmotor onderstel. Die krake het almal ontstaan op sweislaste wat die verskillende komponente van die aluminium struktuur bind. Hierdie tesis stel ’n oplossingsmetodologie voor om hierdie falings aan te spreek. Die eerste fase van hierdie metodologie (falingsondersoek) maak hewig staat op berekeninge van strukturele vermoeidheid. Hierdie berekeninge word gedoen met behulp van die ‘stress-life’ metode aangevul deur die ‘hot spot stress’ metode. Eksperimentele toetse is uitgevoer op ’n operasionele lugmagbasis om ’n saamgestelde dienssiklus te bepaal wat verteenwoordigend is van die tipiese operationele omstandighede van die voertuig. Dit word gevolg deur ’n eindige element analise wat gebruik word om die skalering faktor te bereken wat nodig is om die ‘hot spot’ spanning in die struktuur te bepaal. Hierdie ‘hot spot’ spanning word bepaal vir drie verskillende kraak gebiede ten einde die beraamde vermoeidheidslewe van elk van hierdie punte te bereken. Die beraamde vermoeidheidslewe word vergelyk met die werklike lewe wat deur die instandhoudingspersoneel berig is, om ’n korrelasie faktor te bepaal. Die vergelyking lewer ’n maksimum korrelasie faktor van 9.8 en ’n minimum van 3.9. Daar word voorgestel dat die minimum korrelasie faktor van 3.9 gebruik word in die bepaling van toekomstige oplossings. Daar word ook voorgestel dat die spanning met ten minste 37% verlaag word om die verwagte lewensduur te bereik. Aanbevelings ten opsigte van ’n verbetering aan die huidige struktuur word ook gegee. Die metodologie wat in hierdie tesis aangebied word, bied die grondslag vir ’n tipiese oplossingsmetodologie wat by GRW Engineering gebruik kan word. Aanbevelings vir verbeterings aan die metode en die verskeie komponente word ook voorgestel. 2012-11-28T06:19:16Z 2012-12-12T08:19:34Z 2015-12-01T03:00:10Z 2012-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71971 en_ZA Stellenbosch University xv, 99 pages ; illustrations application/pdf application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Fatigue life analysis Hot spot stress method Aluminum -- Fatique Fuel tanks -- Safety measures Fracture mechanics Cracking of aluminum tanks Stress corrosion UCTD Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering Franken, Christian Matthys Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title | Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title_full | Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title_fullStr | Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title_full_unstemmed | Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title_short | Structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| title_sort | structural fatigue life investigation of a rigidly mounted aluminium fuel tank |
| topic | Fatigue life analysis Hot spot stress method Aluminum -- Fatique Fuel tanks -- Safety measures Fracture mechanics Cracking of aluminum tanks Stress corrosion UCTD Mechanical & Mechatronic Engineering |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/71971 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT frankenchristianmatthys structuralfatiguelifeinvestigationofarigidlymountedaluminiumfueltank |