Significant advances have been achieved in aircraft structural analysis methodologies over the past few decades, including numerous techniques currently emerging from academia and small businesses. The Air Force is interested in maturing these methods and developing new techniques for use in the design, certification, and sustainment of future aircraft.

The focus of this research opportunity is to evaluate and improve cutting edge numerical modeling approaches in order to increase the fidelity of structural integrity predictions and to improve structural efficiency without overly compromising computational efficiency. New cutting-edge techniques will be developed and applied to problems of increased complexity in order to overcome the barriers that are currently limiting the adoption of advanced air dominance capabilities. Areas of interest include (1) progressive damage and impact of composite structures, (2) fatigue and fracture of metallic structures, (3) fluid-structure interactions, (4) multi-length-scale modeling, (5) stochastic modeling, (6) aero-elasticity analysis, and (7) multi-physics analysis (e.g. thermal, acoustic, fluid, etc.). Research could involve the use of user developed analysis frameworks and subroutines for existing commercial products (i.e. - Abaqus, ANSYS, LS-Dyna, NASTRAN, AFGROW, NESSUS, etc.). State-of-the-art laboratory facilities, materials, and in-house expertise are available to validate the advanced models through fabrication, testing, and data reduction of test articles.

Keywords:

Structural analysis, progressive damage, fatigue, fracture, composite, metal, experimental validation

Reference:

S. P. Engelstad and S. B. Clay, “Comparison of Composite Damage Growth Tools for Static Behavior of Notched Composite Laminates”, Journal of Composite Materials, v 51, n 10, p 1493-1524, May 2017.

key words

Structural analysis, progressive damage, fatigue, fracture, composite, metal, experimental validation

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants

Additional Benefits

Relocation

Awardees who reside more than 50 miles from their host laboratory and remain on tenure for at least six months are eligible for paid relocation to within the vicinity of their host laboratory.

Health insurance

A group health insurance program is available to awardees and their qualifying dependents in the United States.