This paper reviews selected analytical work in crash dynamics conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center. Three areas of research are included in the review and involve topics related to general aviation (GA) aircraft, transport aircraft, and generic composite aircraft structural components.
Analytical studies under the GA Crash Dynamics program using DYCAST are reviewed and include analysis of full scale aircraft sections, concepts for energy absorbing structural subfloors for loads control, and related seat/occupant response analyses.
A follow-on program in the transport airplane category involved the air-to-ground crash test of a fully instrumented Boeing 720 airplane conducted by FAA/NASA and designated Controlled Impact Demonstration (CID). The analysis of drop tests of Boeing 707 transport sections in support of the CID test to qualify instrumentation and provide data for later CID analysis are discussed. Analytical results from the analysis of the full scale 720 airplane crash are also included.
Finally, ongoing and planned analysis efforts in the area of composite impact dynamics are covered. Crash-related loadings and response of generic composite structural components such as composite fuselage frames, composite subfloors, and composite fuselage cylindrical components are reviewed.