October 8
@
4:00 PM
–
5:00 PM
The ME 903: Graduate Student Lecture Series features campus and visiting speakers who present on a variety of research topics in the field of mechanical engineering. Dr. Larry Ilcewicz is the Chief Scientist and Technical Advisor, Advanced Composite Materials at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Presentation Title: Engineering Practices for Composite Aircraft Structural Damage Tolerance and Aging Resistance
Abstract: This seminar will cover damage tolerance and aging principles for composite and bonded aircraft structures, including the associated design, structural substantiation, and maintenance practices. The importance of stringent material and process controls applied in production and field repair will also be emphasized. Polymer composite aircraft structural applications have generally had a very good service history, indicating that structures can be designed, repeatably manufactured, and safely maintained for the life of each aircraft, based on proven certification practices. Damage threats, environmental effects, and degradation mechanisms have been studied to develop material screening methods, design guidelines & criteria, manufacturing quality controls, and structural analysis & test protocol for certification. Over 50 years of applications, certified composite aircraft structures have demonstrated environmental & mechanical fatigue resistance and operational damage tolerance, aligned with existing industry maintenance practices.
Bio: Dr. Larry Ilcewicz is the FAA Chief Scientific and Technical Advisor for Composite Materials. He started work with the FAA in 1998 and has supported many certification activities for small airplanes, rotorcraft, and transport aircraft. He has also worked on major accident investigations and service problems involving composites. These experiences helped Larry develop and execute an international plan for composite safety and certification initiatives to work with industry, academia, and other civil aviation authorities to develop composite regulatory guidance, training, and standardization.
Larry came to the FAA from The Boeing Company, where he worked 17 years on various commercial transport aircraft programs. This included support to 737, 757, 767 and 777 aircraft in various stages of development, production, and service. He has authored/co-authored more than 90 technical publications. He served as co-chairman for Composite Materials Handbook 17, CMH-17, for more than 25 years. He won the U.S. Presidential Rank Award in 2013. In 2019, he received the AIAA Crichlow Prize, which led to an invitation to give the 2020 Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials (SDM) Lecture, which was a basis for some of the content in this seminar. Related references will be noted throughout the seminar for participants interested in gaining advanced knowledge on the subjects.