Structural details in lightweight aluminium crafts: Ways of improving structural reliability by applying safe life vs. fail safe principles

This paper presents the results of investigations into f static and dynamic properties of structural details of lightweight aluminium crafts, made of 5000 and 6000 aluminium alloys. Material and structural analyses were performed using both finite element analysis and intensive destructive and non-destructive essays on specimens representing typical structural details of lightweight crafts. The effects of alloy combination, welding process, geometries non-linearities and stress concentrations on static mechanical properties and fatigue lives of the "as designed" and the "as built" structural details are evaluated and discussed, with the aim of improving the design and production under "safe life" vs. "fail safe" principles.