Future Experimental Methods Needed to Verify Composite Life-cycle Simulations

The future experimental methods needed for composite life-cycle are identified by computationally simulating the fracture of an integrally stiffened composite structure. The simulation describes events occurring during the fracture progression at all composite structure scales, the fracture modes that contribute to those events and the respective local failure mechanisms. The fracture modes in their respective scales provide opportunities to suggest future testing techniques to measure them. For example, energies emitted can be calibrated to identify non-destructive techniques to measure corresponding energies such as acoustic, thermal and even optical. Successful testing methods can then be used to implement monitoring systems for in-service structural life-cycles.