Structural Safety Evaluation of Test Fixture for Static Load Test of External Fuel Tank for Fixed-Wing Aircraft

The structural behavior and safety of a static load test fixture for a pylon and an external fuel tank of a fixed-wing aircraft currently being developed in South Korea are analyzed. The test loads are calculated via the flight loads applied on the external fuel tank and a whiffletree configuration; subsequently, they are used in the static analysis of the test fixture using the finite element method. Vulnerable components of the test fixture are identified by calculating the von Mises stress, and detailed structural behavior is analyzed. It is confirmed that most components of the test fixture exhibit a factor of safety of 3.0 or greater, which is determined by the calculated von Mises stress and the yield strength of the material. The proposed method is expected to be utilized in the structural integrity evaluation of a static test fixture for the external stores of an aircraft.