Analysis of a Pyroceram Radome Subjected to Aerodynamic Heating

Abstract : This report summarizes the analysis conducted to determine the thermal stress induced in a Pyroceram radome by aerodynamic heating. It describes the modeling and analysis of an axisymmetric radome subjected to an axisymmetric thermal distribution and the variations in the stresses produced by two different axisymmetric elements in NASTRAN. Additional analysis was conducted in which the variation was traced to the geometry of the elements. The one NASTRAN axisymmetric element supposedly capable of handling asymmetric loading cases was found to give inaccurate results as the geometry varied from a rectangular cross-section. The cyclic symmetry option in NASTRAN was investigated and appears to offer an excellent alternative for the solution of axisymmetric structures subjected to asymmetric heating such as was required in the radome analysis.