Study of Aircraft Structural Response and Occupant Loading during a Water Ditching Event Utilizing LS-DYNA Simulation
Publication: Earth and Space 2022
ABSTRACT
In this study, the capability of finite element model (FEM) analysis to assess aircraft structural response and occupant injury risk during aircraft water ditching conditions was evaluated. A FEM of the Fokker F28 aircraft, previously validated against full-scale crash test data, was simulated in a realistic water impact environment utilizing recorded conditions from the ditching of US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River. The FEM of the F28 aircraft, was developed from a NASTRAN loads model provided by the vehicle manufacturer, calibrated using component fuselage drop-tests, and validated through test-analysis comparisons from a full-scale crash test of the F28 onto soil. Simulation results are presented in several categories: vehicle kinematics, structural accelerations, damage, occupant responses, and injury risk predictions. Results were consistent with the general outcomes of Flight 1549, indicating that the developed vehicle FEM, validated against land impact test data, may provide an effective tool for evaluating water ditching events.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this chapter.
REFERENCES
Bolukbasi A., Crocco J., Clarke C., Fasanella E., Jackson K., Keary P., et al., “Full Spectrum Crashworthiness Criteria for Rotorcraft,” U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, Ft. Eustis, VA RDECOM TR 12-D-12, 2011.
Credeur M. J., and Schlangenstein M., “US Airways Pilot Averts Tragedy in ‘Miracle’ Landing,” www.Bloomberg.com, New York, January 16, 2009.
Fasanella E. L., Jackson K. E., Sparks C. E., and Sareen A. K., “Water Impact Test and Simulation of a Composite Energy Absorbing Fuselage Section,” Journal of the American Helicopter Society, Vol. 50, No. 2, April 2005, pp. 150–164.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), “14 CFR Part 25.562 emergency landing dynamic conditions,” Federal Aviation Regulation. Volume 53, Amdt. 25–64, 1988.
Guha S., “README LSTC H3_95TH_DETAILED Scaled. 151214.V3.03_BETA,” Livermore Software Technology Corporation, MI, 2015.
Hallquist J. Q., “LS-DYNA Keyword User’s Manual,” Version 971, Livermore Software Technology Company, Livermore, CA, August 2006.
Humanetics, “User’s Manual FAA Hybrid III 50th Male Dummy LS-DYNA® Model Version 1.2.3,” Humanetics Innovative Solutions, Plymouth, MI, 2018.
Humanetics, “Hybrid III 5th Percentile Female Dummy LS-DYNA® Model Version 7.0.5 User Manual.” Humanetics Innovative Solutions, Plymouth, MI, 2013.
Jackson K. E., and Fuchs Y. T., “Comparison of ALE and SPH Simulations of Vertical Drop Tests of a Composite Fuselage Section into Water,” Proceedings of the 10th International LS-DYNA® Users Conference, Dearborn, MI, June 8-10, 2008.
Jackson K. E., Littell J. D., Annett M. S., and Haskin I. M., “Finite Element Simulations of Two Vertical Drop Tests of F-28 Fuselage Sections,” NASA Technical Memorandum NASA/TM-2018-219807, February 2018.
Jackson K. E., and Putnam J. B. “Simulation of a Full-Scale Crash Test of a Fokker F28 Fellowship Aircraft,” NASA Technical Memorandum NASA/TM-2020-220435, January 2020.
Kleinberger M., Sun E., Eppinger R., Kuppa S., and Saul R., “Development of Improved Injury Criteria for the Assessment of Advanced Automotive Restraint Systems,” National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC, 1998.
Littell J. D., “A Summary of Results from Two Full-Scale Fokker F28 Fuselage Section Drop Tests,” NASA/TM-2018-219829, May 2018.
Littell J. D., “A Summary of Airframe Results from a Fokker F-28 Full-Scale Crash Test,” NASA Technical Memorandum, NASA/TM-2020-220572, March 2020.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Report, “Loss of Thrust in Both Engines after Encountering a Flock of Birds and Subsequent Ditching on the Hudson River US Airways Flight 1549 Airbus A320-214, AAR-10/03, January 2009.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “Docket No. NHTSA-2015-0119.” New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), 2015.
Panzer M. B., et al., “THOR 50th Male Finite Element Model User Manual,” Model Version 2.1 for LS-Dyna,” 2015.
Patel A. A., and Greenwood R. P., “Transport Water Impact and Ditching Performance,” DOT/FAA/AR-95/54, March 1996.
Putnam J. B., et al., “Development, calibration, and validation of a head–neck complex of THOR mod kit finite element model,” Traffic Injury Prevention 15(8): 844–854, 2014.
Putnam J. B., et al., “Development and evaluation of a finite element model of the THOR for occupant protection of spaceflight crewmembers,” Accident Analysis & Prevention, 82: 244–256, 2015.
Putnam J. B. “Occupant Response Analysis of a Full-Scale Crash Test of a Fokker F28 Fellowship Aircraft,” NASA Technical Memorandum NASA/TM-2020-220571, March 2020.
Vassilakos G. J., and Mark S. D. “Boilerplate Test Article (BTA) Water Impact Test Correlation,” NASA Contractor Report, NASA/CR-2017-219792, November 2017.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
History
Published online: Jan 5, 2023
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.