R&D Contracting Directorate, Bldg 7, 2530 C Street, WPAFB, OH 45433-7607

A -- REQUEST FOR INFORMATION SOL VAK-98-04 DUE 082798 POC Edward Schopler, Project Engineer, AFRL/VASA, (937) 255-5664 WEB: click here to view the R&D Contracting Home Page, http://www.wrs.afrl.af.mil/contract/. Request for Information: The Air Vehicle Directorate is interested in identifying US and foreign sources that are capable of certification of aircraft structure through modeling/analysis. Analytical certification of structures is meant to be a means to reduce the amount of testing required for a given confidence level especially for existing aircraft modifications and rely to a greater extent on modeling techniques for structure certification or to improve the confidence level for an existing aircraft design. We want to be able to quantify risk so we can determine when we can reduce test requirements or reduce risk by modifying test requirements for new aircraft or the existing fleet. Probabilistic techniques could be used as a risk reduction tool in developing the modeling capability while maintaining a reasonably acceptable risk of failure. In reducing the test requirements for existing and new aircraft structure, cost and schedule will be significantly reduced. Analytical certification of aircraft structures will change the way aircraft structure and structural modifications are validated. Typically aircraft structural design and development proceeds through a building block series of structural tests from basic material evaluation, sub-components, individual components, built up structure and full scale structural tests to certify the structure or structural component for aircraft production and replacement. Certifying the structure by eliminating/reducing the amount of structural testing through analysis/modeling will significantly impact the cost and time required to implement required structural improvements in the existing fleet. We want to develop and demonstrate analytical certification initially on the existing fleet focusing on customer certification requirements, improved correlation between test and analysis results and using probabilistic analysis. In preparing your responses, discussion on modeling tools and capabilities, certification criteria, approach, future analysis/modeling capabilityneeded for structural certification and examples of specific applications of using analytical certification would provide for further contact/communication. It is our intent to use the survey to develop a source list and to further expand our knowledge of analytical certification. We want to promote the acceptance of analytical structural certification in replacements and modifications to existing aircraft structures or future aerospace structures. Posted 07/27/98 (W-SN228600). (0208)

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