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Fracture behavior of the Space Shuttle thermal protection systemStable crack-growth and fracture-toughness experiments were conducted using precracked specimens machined from LI-900 reusable surface insulation (RSI) tiles of the Space Shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) at room temperature. Similar fracture experiments were conducted on fracture specimens with preexisting cracks at the interface of the tile and the strain isolation pad (SIP). Stable crack growth was not observed in the LI-900 tile fracture specimens which had a fracture toughness of 12.0 kPa sq rt of m. The intermittent subcritical crack growth at the tile-pad interface of the fracture specimens was attributed to successive local pull-outs due to tensile overload in the LI-900 tile and cannot be characterized by linear elastic fracture mechanics. No subcritical interfacial crack growth was observed in the fracture specimens with densified LI-900 tiles where brittle fracture initiated at an interior point away from the densification.
Document ID
19830067743
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Komine, A.
(Komatsu, Ltd., Technical Research Center Hiratsuka, Japan)
Kobayashi, A. S.
(Washington, University Seattle, WA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 11, 2013
Publication Date
September 1, 1983
Publication Information
Publication: American Ceramic Society, Journal
Volume: 66
ISSN: 0002-7820
Subject Category
Nonmetallic Materials
Accession Number
83A48961
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NGL-48-002-004
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGW-199
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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