Strength of Stiffened Panels with Multiple Site Damage

Multiple site damage (MSD) on aging aircraft accumulates from fatigue loading over a period of time. For ductile materials such as 2024-T3 aluminum, MSD may lower the strength below that which is predicted by conventional fracture mechanics. An analytical model referred to as the linkup (or plastic zone touch) model has previously been used to describe this phenomenon. However, the linkup model has been shown to produce inaccurate results for many configurations. This paper describes several modifications of the linkup model developed from empirical analyses. These modified linkup models have been shown to produce accurate results over a wide range of configurations for both unstiffened and stiffened flat 2024-T3 panels with MSD at open holes. These modified models are easy to use and give quick and accurate results over a large range of parameters. This investigation should add to the understanding of the degree to which nonlinear behavior can be described with a simplified engineering model.