9.1
Fracture Control Documentation
9.1.1
Fracture Control Plan
The FCP developed in compliance of [FCR 1] in section 4.1 in this NASA Technical Standard is part of the documentation.
9.1.2 Engineering Drawings
[FCR 23] Fracture critical parts shall be identified on engineering drawings in the notes of the individual part drawing, along with the inspection, serialization, and other pertinent information necessary to maintain traceability of the part and its history of manufacturing and use.
[Rationale: Identification of fracture critical parts on engineering drawings is necessary to assure that the appropriate NDE, serialization, and traceability needs are recognized and implemented.]
The type of NDE and NDE acceptance criteria should be specified.
Detected flaws are assessed in accordance with section 8.1.5 in this NASA Technical Standard.
Processing or fabrication requirements that would affect fracture properties of a fracture critical part in a given application, such as heat treatments, welding requirements, and peaking/mismatch allowables, grain or fiber direction, and other critical parameters, should be specifically called out on the part drawing.
Composite or bonded material epoxies and adhesives should have their shelf life requirements included as part of the engineering drawing notes.
9.1.3 Fracture Control Summary Report
[FCR 24] An FCSR shall be developed by the spaceflight hardware program or project that:
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- a. Documents the basis for acceptance that all the flight hardware parts have met the fracture control requirements in the approved FCP.
- b. Contains detailed information or reference to detailed information for all parts, including results for evaluations, classification, assessments, inspections and other pertinent records, and their disposition for fracture.
- c. Documents all assessments, such as analyses and tests, conducted on representative flight hardware used for flight certification.
- d. Identifies the flaws and impact damage threats that are accepted on risk by the program authority, i.e., the flaws and impact damage threats for which there is no damage tolerance evaluation.
- e. Is approved by the RFCB.
[Rationale: The FCSR contains the information or summarizes and points to the detailed reports necessary to show fracture control compliance of all parts to the requirements in the approved FCP.]
The FCSR may point to other project documentation that is available for review by the RF CB that contains fracture control data relevant to the completion of the FCSR as necessary to avoid duplication of efforts.
The flaws identified in 9.1.3.d (above) may vary from program to program. Examples may include flaws, such as those caused by lightning strikes, system failures, handling mishaps, MMOD impacts, bird impacts, etc.
9.1.3.1 Detailed Information for the FCSR
- a. The FCSR provides sufficient information to certify that fracture control requirements have been met by assessment results available in detailed damage tolerance assessment reports of analyses and testing. The FCSR summarizes the results and damage tolerance service life, loadings, flaw screening methods, initial flaw sizes used in the assessment, material characteristics, flaw sizes at the end of lifetime, predicted lifetime, and analysis methods used in the assessment.
- b. The FCSR provides sufficient hardware descriptions, including sketches and figures, to convey a clear understanding of the hardware elements and their functions.
- c. Supporting detailed documentation, such as drawings, calculations, analyses, testing details, test results, data printouts, inspection plans, records, DTA, IDMP, RTD, specifications, certifications, MUAs, reports, procedures, and all other items that establish the fracture control suitability of the flight hardware, is to be provided to the RFCB under separate cover, upon request.
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- d. The FCSR gives an accounting of all parts and their disposition for fracture control as follows:
- (1) Identifies exempt parts, groups of exempt parts, and types of exempt parts.
- (2) Lists NFC parts, along with their classification and supporting rationale.
- (3) Lists fracture critical parts with a summary of the basis for their damage tolerance.
- e. The FCSR identifies the following for all NFC parts requiring NDE, including fail-safe parts, containment enclosures, NHLBB items, low-risk parts, NFC composite or bonded hardware assessed in accordance with section 6.3.1 in this NASA Technical Standard, and fracture critical parts:
- (1) NDE and other inspections carried out on the parts.
- (2) MUAs.
- f. The FCSR identifies inspections and other requirements imposed on re-flight hardware before re-flight.
- g. The FCSR includes results from implementation of approved alternative approaches used in accordance with section 10 in this NASA Technical Standard.
9.1.3.2 Other Documentation
Other documentation supporting fracture control may be called for in the program data requirements. A summary of any parts with known flaws that were accepted for flight by the Technical Authority and any accompanying RFCB review documentation should be maintained by the program/project configuration data management organization. This includes any discrepancies or deviations from design that affect fracture control, e.g., any flaw detection information with resolution data.