Grant: Engage Plus Grants Program

This is the continuation of a research effort supported initially by an Engage grant in partnership with SPP Canada Aircraft (SPPCA). The multiple phase project described in the initial proposal has progressed extremely well and the research already completed have uncovered potential research areas into fatigue phenomena that may be investigated further as the testing progresses. The Engage Plus will support both the continuation of the first two phases of the project, as described in the original Engage grant proposal, as well as additional variable amplitude tests that will be completed to verify the applicability of the developed fatigue methodology, leading to the development of new software based on a more enhanced version of strain-life fatigue (third phase). The first month of the Engage Plus project will be dedicated to the completion ofstrain-rate sensitivity tests within the low cycle fatigue domain. This will be followed by four months of low cycle fatigue testing of the 300M landing gear material that is the subject of this research effort, to be accompanied by concurrent data analysis and modeling culminating with a final report to SPPCA to be completed in the final month of the project. SPPCA has so far funded all costs related to test materials acquisition and specimen manufacturing and provided substantial additional in-kind support. Their strong commitment to the project is further evidenced by providing all funds in support of this Engage Plus project, as required by the terms of this application.