Analysis and residual strength prediction for multiple site damage in aircraft structures by using weight function method

This paper presents a review of recent progress of the development of weight function method for analyzing multiple site damage in aircraft structural panels. An analytical method, the Weight Function Method (WFM), has been proposed and further developed to analyze the MSD problems and to determine the related various fracture mechanics parameters. The plastic zone sizes and crack opening displacements were extensively verified and validated by excellent agreement with available analytical and finite element method results. Combined with Crack Tip Opening Angle criterion (CTOA), the present WFM is employed to predict the stable crack growth and residual strength of aircraft aluminum sheets containing MSD. The predicted results compared very well with the corresponding experimental data. Thereby a novel analytical approach with high efficiency and reliability has been devised for MSD analyses in aircraft structures.