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Damage Tolerance Report On Hyperloop
Damage Tolerance Report On Hyperloop
Considerations in a prospective
Hyperloop Pod
Raghav Maini | Mechanics of Damage Tolerance | April 8, 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER 1 STRESS INTENSITY CONSIDERATIONS
CHAPTER 2 RESIDUAL STRENGTH
CHAPTER 3 FATIGUE LIFE ESTIMATION
CHAPTER 4 CRACK GROWTH RATE ESTIMATION AND
INSPECTION CYCLE
CHAPTER 5 DAMAGE TOLERANT IMPROVEMENTS
LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1: Representative Hyperloop Panel for Damage Tolerance Analysis
Fig. 2: Superposition of Loads and Stresses for the Aluminum Panel
Fig. 3: Plot shows variation of Stress Intensity as the crack grows and the crack length at
failure.
Fig. 4: Fracture Toughness for Al 7075-T6 at t = 0.065 = 68 ksi-sqrt-in
Fig. 5: Comparison of Hyperloop pod panel and experimentally obtained values for Al7075-T6. It can be seen from the comparison that the results are as expected.
Fig 6: Strain Based Fatigue life Vs. Strain for the Hyperloop Pod Panel
Fig 7: Stress Cycle: max = 4.78 ksi, m = a = 2.39 ksi
Fig. 8: Benefits of using crack stoppers
PAGE 1
ABSTRACT
The Hyperloop, touted as the Fifth mode of Transportation is a rapid transit vehicle
which is in initial stages of a massive crowdsourced campaign to achieve high speed
transport on the ground (levitation within a tube either by air or magnets). Elon Musk
(CEO, SpaceX and Tesla Motors) generated a lot of public interest by first releasing a
white paper in 2013 on the prospective workings of a Hyperloop pod. The interest
sustained and was on display at the Hyperloop Pod Competition (Texas A&M, Jan,
2016), a competition where WSU was also represented.
Continuing the theme of contributing to the Hyperloop cause, a damage tolerant study of
the Aluminum structural panel is desired with the help of this project. A Hyperloop pod is
to be subjected to an internal pressure of 10-12 psi and an external (reduced) pressure of
1-3 psi (almost vacuum) within a tube.
As part of the final project, different crack lengths and crack types were considered to
estimate stress intensity factors which were compared with the help of plots for visual
representation. Residual Strength will be estimated for different crack types and lengths
to find out whether the panel fails by yielding or fractures. Different thicknesses of panels
shall be considered depending on allowable pressure distributions.
Even though the design is complex, a Hyperloop pod can be approximated as an aircraft
fuselage for simplification with a few minor adjustments in loading conditions. Crack
Growth and Crack Propagation analyses was done on the panel to complete a damage
tolerance analysis on this part. The number of cycles required to propagate an imaginary
crack will also be estimated.
One Hyperloop pod journey from Los Angeles to San Francisco is expected to take close
to 40 minutes at 760 mph. As a part of this analyses, appropriate inspection cycles will
need to be carried out to avoid or inspect failure and provide maintenance.
After analyzing all the above results, a damage tolerant improvement will be proposed to
prevent damage or prolong the life of this aluminum panel. This could either involve
further stiffening or employing crack stoppers to increase residual strength/delay failure.
PAGE 2
1.1.
Width 10 ft.
Height 10 ft.
A Hyperloop pod could be construed as a fuselage section of an aircraft without its front
and aft section. Due to its similarity to general aviation aircraft, FAR regulations were
used in ascertaining simplifying assumptions. According to Part 25 of Federal Aviation
Regulations (FAR), Section 841, all fuselage sections should be sufficiently pressurized.
Irrespective of the altitude over 8000 feet, cabins must be pressurized to a pressure which
is at the very least, similar to that at 8000 feet.
The Hyperloop pod, should therefore be designed structurally, for periodic pressurization
and depressurization.
Taking a leaf out of finite element analysis (not literally), a small panel of Aluminum
7075 is considered for calculations. Al-7075 and Al-2024 are both possible options but
Al-7075 is a better option and is used much more extensively in modern times for
fuselage skin.
PAGE 3
1.2.
Height = 15 in.
The Stress Intensity in this panel could be predicted with the help of superposition
principle.
(1.1)
(1.2)
= +
(1.3)
= . .
(1.4)
PAGE 4
80.00
70.00
60.00
50.00
40.00
30.00
20.00
10.00
0.00
0
Crack Length, a in
t = 0.065, Edge Cracked
t = 0.050in, Edge Cracked
Fig. 3: Plot shows variation of Stress Intensity as the crack grows and the crack length at
failure.
PAGE 5
The Plot for Stress Intensity Factor Vs. Crack Length gives us the following information:
PAGE 6
( 2)
Residual Strength
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0
Crack Length, a
Net Section Yield
Brittle Fracture
Fig. 5: Comparison of Hyperloop pod panel and experimentally obtained values for Al7075-T6. It can be seen from the comparison that the results are as expected.
PAGE 7
1
= ( )
2
= 2.4 , = 213 , = = 2.39
= 13.23
3.2. Strain Based Fatigue Life
Stress Based Fatigue life is accurate for a large number of cycles but may not be accurate
for shorter lives as Hookes law isnt valid due to the plasticity involved. Therefore, it is
important to find Strain Based Fatigue and the Transition life.
The Modified Morrow Approach was used to estimate Fatigue Life in this panel. A
comparison for estimated and actual plots is shown:
PAGE 8
1.20E-03
1.00E-03
8.00E-04
6.00E-04
4.00E-04
2.00E-04
0.00E+00
0.00E+00
5.00E+08
1.00E+09
Number of Cycles, Nf
Fig 6: Strain Based Fatigue life Vs. Strain for the Hyperloop Pod Panel
3.3. Transition Life
At shorter lives, plastic strains dominate and at longer lives, elastic strains dominate. It is
important to find the transition zone between the two to find out which approach is more
accurate for the given problem.
(
1
= (
)
2
= 103.6
PAGE 9
= () = ()
= sec ( )
= ( )
For the assumed panel dimensions,
= 49.79
In normal operation, the load on the panel due to hoop stress, internal pressure and drag
force is a meagre 4.78 ksi. Therefore, it would require heavy impact loads on the panel to
cause an elongation of the already present crack to 0.5in.
A good DT engineer would also predict the circumstances under which such a proof load
would be possible.
The possible scenarios under which this load might be breached:
1. End of the tube crash Hyperloop pod crashes at the end of the tube due to failure
of the braking system.
2. Fatigue buildup Loads built up inside the structure due to excessive operation of
the pod causing
3. External circumstances Natural disasters, man-made disasters, construction
damage, manufacturing errors and other human factors that may introduce
fatalities.
PAGE 11
3. Crack Stoppers Using Titanium crack stoppers would enable proper load
transfer from cracked surface to the crack stopper and increase the residual
strength considerably.
PAGE 12
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