01-10-2014, 09:40 AM
Abstracts: When designing an aircraft, it’s all about finding the optimum proportion of the weight of the vehicle and payload. It needs to be strong and stiff enough to withstand the exceptional circumstances in which it has to operate. Durability is an important factor. Also, if a part fails, it doesn’t necessarily result in failure of the whole aircraft. A bulkhead is the physical partition that divides a plane into different classes or sections. Typically, a bulkhead is a wall but can also be curtain or screen. In addition to separating classes from one another, i.e. business and economy, bulkheads can be found throughout the plane, separating the seats from the gallery and lavatory areas. A pressure bulkhead assembly adapted for installation in an aircraft fuselage includes a bulkhead web and reinforcing structure. The bulkhead web has a first side facing the pressurized compartment and a second side opposite the first side. The reinforcing structure, which is formed from a series of primary beam members, secondary beam members, and connecting elements, is provided on the second side of the bulkhead web. A rear pressure bulkhead with all stiffening members is considered in this analysis. Due to internal pressurization the rear pressure bulkhead will undergo out of plane bending. One surface of the pressure bulkhead will undergo tension and the other will undergo compression simultaneously, as a result the stiffening members attached to the rear pressure bulkhead will also undergo tension and compression modes. A Stress analysis is carried out on rear pressure bulkhead panel to identify the maximum tensile stress location. Fatigue life to crack initiation at the location of highest tensile stress will be predicted.