Holistic Structural Integrity Program

The ever-increasing demands on engineered structures require advanced materials and fabrication techniques to enable structures to reach and maintain desired levels of performance and reliability. Simulations of physics based structural degradation and failure modes have recently been developed that enhance the life assessment methodologies available to industry for both design and sustainment. It is now possible to quantify the effects of intrinsic physical discontinuities and of particularly severe conditions, such as fatigue, corrosion, and wear on structure. These advancements will help enable industry to shrink the gap between safe-life and damage tolerance lifing methodologies and meld the two into a unified HOListic Structural Integrity Process capable of positively impacting all aspects of safety, cost, and availability. These advancements are relevant to all industries, including aerospace, nuclear, and civil infrastructure.