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Probabilistic structural analyses and design methods are steadily gaining acceptance within the aerospace industry. The safety factor approach to design has long been the industry standard, and it is believed by many to be overly conservative and thus, costly. A probabilistic approach to design may offer substantial cost savings. This report summarizes several probabilistic approaches: the probabilistic failure analysis (PFA) methodology developed by Jet Propulsion Laboratory, fast probability integration (FPI) methods, the NESSUS finite element code, and response surface methods. Example problems are provided to help identify the advantages and disadvantages of each method.

This paper discusses the thermally-induced geometrically nonlinear response of symmetrically laminated composite plates. The plate response is due to a temperature increase that is uniform in the plane of the plate but has a slight gradient through the thickness. The case of a completely uniform temperature increase but with an initial out-of-plane imperfection in the plate is also considered. Because they are closely allied problems, thermal buckling and postbuckling are discussed. Using variational methods in conjunction with a Rayleigh-Ritz formulation, these responses are investigated for two laminates, a (+/- 45/0/90)s and a (+/- 45/02)s, under two different simple support conditions.

The thermal buckling and postbuckling response of symmetrically laminated composite plates are discussed. Using variational methods in conjunction with a Rayleigh-Ritz formulation, thermal buckling and postbuckling are investigated for two laminates, a (+/- 45/0/90) and a (+/- 45/02), under two different simple support conditions, fixed and sliding. These laminates are subjected to the condition of a uniform temperature change. The effects of the principal material axis not being aligned with the edges of the plate, referred to here as material axis skewing, are also investigated. Although differences between buckling temperatures for the two support conditions were small, support conditions can have a large influence on thermal postbuckling response. In general, plates with fixed simple supports deflect more than plates with sliding simple supports. In addition, support conditions can influence modal interaction. Skewing of the material axis decreases the buckling temperatures of both laminates and, like fixed support conditions, causes increased postbuckling deflections. Skewing also influences modal interaction.

This paper discusses an investigation into the thermal buckling of symmetrically laminated composite plates. In this study thermal buckling is investigated for laminates under two different simple support conditions, fixed and sliding. These laminates are subjected to the conditions of a uniform temperature change, and a temperature change varying linearly along the length of the plate. The effects of the principal material axes not being aligned with the edges of the plate are also investigated. The buckling response is studied using variational methods, specifically the Trefftz criterion. A Rayleigh-Ritz formulation is used to obtain numerical results from the formulations for the prebuckling response and the buckling response.

The study investigated the psychological home environments of 150 trainable mentally retarded (TMR) students and 250 slow learners (largely educable mentally retarded--EMR--and some educationally handicapped--EH). Data were gathered at annual intervals by home interview and school visits. The home interview included structured questions and observations, along with completion of the MOOS Family Environment Scale, and Caldwell HOME Inventory, and the Henderson HELPS. Some first-year scores from these and from interviewer ratings were capable of significantly adding to prediction of student gain in adaptation and adjustment in the second and third years. The basic psychological descriptors of the families were also employed for cluster analyses, yielding a taxonomy of five types of TMR families and seven EMR-EH families. These were validated by ethnographic and other case information and with other data, and were stable over 2 years of the study. (Author/PB)

Fracture mechanics analysis results are presented from the following structures/components analyzed at Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) between 1982 and 1989: space shuttle main engine (SSME), Hubble Space Telescope (HST), external tank attach ring, B-1 stand LOX inner tank, and solid rocket booster (SRB). Results from the SSME high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) second stage blade parametric analysis determine a critical flaw size for a wide variety of stress intensity values. The engine 0212 failure analysis was a time dependent fracture life assessment. Results indicated that the disk ruptured due to an overspeed condition. Results also indicated that very small flaws in the curvic coupling area could propagate and lead to failure under normal operating conditions. It was strongly recommended that a nondestructive evaluation inspection schedule be implemented. The main ring of the HST, scheduled to launch in 1990, was analyzed by safe-life and fail-safe analyses. First safe-life inspection criteria curves for the ring inner and outer skins and the fore and aft channels were derived. Afterwards the skins and channels were determined to be fail-safe by analysis. A conservative safe-life analysis was done on the 270 redesign external tank attach ring. Results from the analysis were used to determine the nondestructive evaluation technique required.

The thermally induced buckling and postbuckling behavior of square and rectangular simply supported composite plates is examined using the Rayleigh-Ritz method in conjunction with the second variations of the total potential energy. Spatially uniform and nonuniform temperatures and laminates with material axes that are not aligned with the plate edges (skewed material axes) are considered. Results of the analysis are presented in graphic form.