Point/Counterpoint - The Airbus Position

Air Safety Week, March 29, 2004

Item: Metal/Composites & Failure Modes - Metal bends, deforms and ultimately breaks. Rigid composites just break. Compare a glass ruler to one made of wood. The wooden ruler will first splinter and then break. The glass will just break. These characteristics suggest modifying the classic definition of ultimate load to account for the difference in materials performance. Comments: Suggested definitions: Metal construction: The loading above design limit load at which permanent deformation will occur progressively and that may lead to eventual catastrophic failure. Composite construction: The loading above design limit load in which sudden catastrophic failure will occur at the weakest point or interface.

Sources: From American Airlines & Airbus submissions & other sources

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