11/16/98 nasa/am 1 aviation safety program dar accident mitigation nasa research in crashworthiness...

11/16/98

NASA/AM 1

Aviation Safety ProgramAviation Safety Program

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Accident MitigationAccident MitigationNASA Research in Crashworthiness and Fire PreventionNASA Research in Crashworthiness and Fire Prevention

Douglas A. RohnElement Manager

NASA Lewis Research Center

INTERNATIONAL AIRCRAFT FIRE AND CABINSAFETY RESEARCH CONFERENCE

November 16, 1998

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•NASA Aviation Safety Program–Accident Mitigation

•Systems Approach to Crashworthiness–Background, Approach, Milestones, Status

•Fire Prevention–Background, Approach, Milestones, Status

•Resources

OutlineOutline

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• Air traffic is projected to triple over the next 20 Air traffic is projected to triple over the next 20 yearsyears– Air travel may be the safest mode of travel, but even today’s low

accident rate will be unacceptable

• NASA Enabling Technology GoalNASA Enabling Technology Goal– Reduce the aircraft accident rate by a factor of five within 10

years and by a factor of ten within 20 years

• Aviation Safety Program GoalAviation Safety Program Goal– Develop technologies that contribute to reduced aviation fatality

and accident rates by 80% by 2007 and 90% by 2017

• Aviation Safety Program ObjectivesAviation Safety Program Objectives– Eliminate Targeted Accident Categories

– Strengthen Safety Technology Foundation

– Increase Accident Survivability

– Accelerate System Implementation to All Users & Vehicle Classes

NASA Program BackgroundNASA Program Background

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Program OrganizationProgram Organization

Aviation Safety Aviation Safety Program OfficeProgram Office

Mike Lewis (LaRC)Mike Lewis (LaRC)Deputies (ARC, DFRC, LaRC, LeRC)Deputies (ARC, DFRC, LaRC, LeRC)

System-Wide System-Wide Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionDave Foyle (ARC)

System-Wide System-Wide Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionDave Foyle (ARC)

Single Aircraft Single Aircraft Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionJohn White (LaRC)

Single Aircraft Single Aircraft Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionJohn White (LaRC)

Weather Weather Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionRon Colantonio

(LeRC)

Weather Weather Accident Accident

PreventionPreventionRon Colantonio

(LeRC)

Aviation System Aviation System Monitoring & Monitoring &

ModelingModelingYuri Gawdiak (ARC)

Aviation System Aviation System Monitoring & Monitoring &

ModelingModelingYuri Gawdiak (ARC)

Accident Accident MitigationMitigation

Doug Rohn (LeRC)

Accident Accident MitigationMitigation

Doug Rohn (LeRC)

Safety Risk & Benefits Safety Risk & Benefits AnalysisAnalysis

Safety Risk & Benefits Safety Risk & Benefits AnalysisAnalysis

Gov’t/IndustryGov’t/IndustryProgram Leadership Program Leadership

TeamTeam

Office of Aero-Space TechnologyOffice of Aero-Space TechnologyOffice of Aero-Space TechnologyOffice of Aero-Space Technology

Lead Center (LaRC)Lead Center (LaRC)Lead Center (LaRC)Lead Center (LaRC)

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Fire Prevention

Limit Hazards

Prevent In-Flight Fires

Organizational Cultures

Aircraft Class Unique Issues

Manufacturer Liability Implications

Reduce the Number of Fatalities Given that an Accident Occurs

Prevent Post-Crash Fires

Systems Approach to Crashworthiness

Reduce In-flight Fires

Increase Survivability of Post-Crash Fires

Increase Survivability of Accidents

Crashworthy Designs

Adverse Economics

GoalGoal

ObjectivesObjectives

ChallengesChallenges

ApproachApproach

ProjectsProjects

Increase Human Survivability of Aviation AccidentsIncrease Human Survivability of Aviation Accidents

Accident MitigationAccident Mitigation

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Accident Mitigation BackgroundAccident Mitigation Background

• Despite improvements, accidents still happen– For transports*: 43% involve serious injury/fatality;

45% of those are survivable– In-flight fires account for 5% of all fatalities*

• Technology needed to increase survivability– Reduce hazards (due to crash and/or fire)– Allow more time for escape– Eliminate/detect in-flight fires

• Focused to all aircraft classes– Fuel fire prevention to fires involving Jet-A

* worldwide, 1959 - 1995 data, from Boeing/ASIST

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Accident Mitigation“Increase Human Survivability of

Aviation Accidents”

SystemsApproach to

Crashworthiness

SystemsApproach to

Crashworthiness

FirePrevention

FirePrevention

• Prediction Methodologies • Structures, Materials, Interiors, &

Restraints• Crash Resistant Fuel Systems

• Detection• Suppression• Inerting/Oxygen• Fire-Safe Fuels• Materials

Accident Mitigation Sub-ElementsAccident Mitigation Sub-Elements

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•NASA Aviation Safety Program

•Accident Mitigation



•Resources

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Systems Approach to CrashworthinessSystems Approach to Crashworthiness

Accident Data & Characteristics

• Transports, survivable accidents*:

–23% of fatalities due to impact alone

–50% of fatalities due to combination of impact injury and fire

• GA: low altitude, low airspeed

• Rotorcraft has made gains in crashworthiness


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Background

• NASA involvement–have been working other US government agencies and

industry to improve crashworthiness for 20+ years

• Systems approach is required–Survivability in a crash is a function of

> flight conditions at impact> impact surface> airframe response> seat response and restraint system performance > occupant response

–Significant interaction between these contributing elements

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Approach

• Focus: Limit crash hazard–Analytic tools

> Provide significant data on the injury mechanisms, injury criteria and crash criteria for typical crashes

> Provide analysis methodology for optimizing crashworthiness system

–Seats, restraints, energy absorption> Provide material handbooks and design guides> Work with industry to produce hardware and test

• Focus: Limit post-crash fire hazard–Crash Resistant Fuel Systems to reduce spillage

> Transfer existing technology (example DoD Crash Resistant Fuel Systems )

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Present

Validated AnalysisValidated AnalysisMethodologyMethodology

Crash-Resistant FuelCrash-Resistant FuelSystemsSystems

Advanced RestraintsAdvanced RestraintsEnergy-AbsorbingEnergy-AbsorbingStructural ConceptsStructural Concepts

Increase human survivabilityIncrease human survivability

Future

Airbags

FUELSPILL

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AvSP Phase IAvSP Phase I2.5.12.5.1

Roadmap

L3 Milestone Decision Pt.m nL2 Milestone

Comparison Modeling

FY 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Pre - AvSP

Prediction Methodologies

Structures, Materials Interiors, & Restraints

Crash Resistant Fuel Systems

Fuel System Evaluation

New Concepts Testing

Data Compilation for Transfer

4

Definition and Design New Fuel System Concepts

610

7

8

1

Test New Fuel System Concepts

11

97

Rotorcraft FEM

GA-FEM

Downselected Code

Evaluation for Enhancement

1

Rotorcraft - FEMsGA -FEMs

2

GA - 2nd Gen. FEMCommuter FEM

Iterative CodeValidation and Enhancement

3

GA/Rotor TestGA - Test

Crash System Evaluation

Rotorcraft Test

Code Validation TestingNew Concepts Design

Industry “Help” Materials

5 6

4

3

Blue - GARed - RotorcraftYellow - Commuter/TransportPurple - GA and RotorcraftGreen - multiple categories

Evaluate Codes & Downselect

Validation of 1st Generation Codes/ Enhancement and Update

input from Fire Prevention

Concepts to Limit Fires Post-Crash Fire

Mitigation Demo

Structural CrashAnalysis Tools

Transport Crash Design Guide - Vol. 1

Advanced Protection Concepts


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Planned Milestones

• Proof-of-concept of technology & characteristics to limit fuel spill in post crash (4Q/FY01)

• Analysis tools for structural crashworthiness prediction (4Q/FY02)

• Advanced concepts to protect human body during crash (4Q/FY03)

• Demonstrate technology to eliminate/mitigate effects of post-crash fire (4Q/FY04)

• Transport Crash Design Guide (Vol. 1) (4Q/FY04)

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Current Status• NASA Funded Research

–Pre-AvSP begun–NASA/FAA co-funded activities in Crash Resistant Fuel Systems

and analysis methodology work–NASA/AGATE alliance (GA)–Ongoing cooperation with Army at LaRC–GA/Rotorcraft/NASA have established relationships (no formal

documents but lots of contacts)

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Challenges• Technology Readiness

–Dynamic analysis codes that can handle composite materials–Developing dynamic testing for components that are

representative of the actual environment–Developing human injury criteria–Crash Resistant Fuel Systems technology that is not a weight

penalty

• Implementation Readiness–Certification methods, regulations, and standards may be

necessary–Affordability and retrofitability

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•NASA Aviation Safety Program

•Accident Mitigation



•Resources

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Fire PreventionFire Prevention

Accident Data & Characteristics• Survivable transport crashes *:

–27% of fatalities due to fire and gases–50% of fatalities due to combination of impact injury and

fire/gases

• In-flight fires account for 5% of all fatalities• Ground maintenance mishaps


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Fire Prevention Fire Prevention

Background• NASA involvement

–Combustion for propulsion systems–Micro-gravity combustion, detection, and suppression

• Two fire issues, both related to fuel or non-fuel combustion–Post-accident: overcome by smoke; fire itself– In-flight fire/explosion, including detection & suppression

> Also ground maintenance mishaps

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Fire Prevention Fire Prevention

Approach• Focus: Limit fire hazards

–Fire-safe fuels> Evaluate concepts & develop fuel additives/mods for tank flammability

–Materials> Evaluate low heat release materials for cabin interiors

• Focus: Prevent in-flight/non-crash fires–Fuel mods or inerting

> Evaluate concepts & develop fuel additives/mods for post-crash fires> Develop on-board inert gas/oxygen generation systems for commercial

applications of tank inerting & on-demand (stored & generated) oxygen

–Low-false-alarm detection> Develop design criteria for low false-alarm detection

–Suppression> Leverage Halon replacement technology as available; consider other

suppression concepts

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Low Heat-Release MaterialsLow Heat-Release Materials On-Board Inert Gas GenerationOn-Board Inert Gas Generation

DetectionDetection SuppressionSuppressionSuppressionSuppression

FALSEALARM

MICRO-FABGAS DETECTORS

LEVERAGENON-HALON

APPLICATIONS

Fire-Safe FuelsFire-Safe FuelsFire-Safe FuelsFire-Safe Fuels

Increase accident survivability & prevent in-flight fires


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AvSP Phase IAvSP Phase I2.5.22.5.2 FY 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Pre - AvSP


Identify & evaluateconcepts

Roadmap

L3 Milestone Decision Pt.L2 Milestone

Eval. OBIGGS/OBOGS Concept

Detection

Inerting/Oxygen

Experimental characterizationof fuels, mods, & additives

Fire-SafeFuels

Materials

Suppression

Evaluate systemdesign concepts

Evaluate low false alarms inrepresentative fire conditions

Des./Dev prototypes: combinedsystem and/or separate

Definerequirements

Prototype demonstration

in post-crash environment Experiments for database &

scale-up characteristics.

System demo in simulatedin-flight conditions

Demonstratenon-Halon effectiveness

Assess Halon-replacementsEvaluate alternate methods

for commercial appl.

Evaluate thermally-stablepolymer samples

Breadboard & screen sensors Ground tests & transfer concepts to ind.2

4

Des. prototype.concepts

m

1

3

765

9

B

8

10 11

5

6

2

1

n

input from Crashworthiness

Note: OBIGGS/OBOGS = On-board inert-gas/oxygen generation system

Design Criteria for Low False-Alarm

Concepts to Limit Fires

In-Flight Fuel Flammability Reduction Demo

Post-Crash Fire Mitigation Demo

Detection Design Concepts

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Planned Milestones

• Proof-of-concept of technology & characteristics to limit fuel flammability in post crash (4Q/FY01)

• Design criteria for reliable, low-false-alarm fire detection systems (4Q/FY01)

• Demonstrate technology to prevent in-flight fuel-related fire/explosion (4Q/FY04)

• Demonstrate technology to eliminate/mitigate effects of post-crash fire (4Q/FY04)

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Current Status• NASA Funded Research

–Pre-AvSP begun–NASA: leverage & expand ongoing research

> Combustion¤ Propulsion & Fuels¤ Micro-gravity

> Materials development¤ Structural¤ High-temperature

–FAA Participation: detection; inerting; fuels– Industry: plan to get involved with active vendors

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Challenges• Technology Readiness

–Detection discrimination between fire and non-fire sources–Practical products to prevent fuel explosions/fires–Light-weight, high volume on-board inert gas/oxygen

generation systems –Low heat-release materials in economic, large quantities–Effective, light-weight alternate suppression systems

• Implementation Readiness–Economic barriers: cost, weight, infrastructure

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ResourcesResources

• NASA funds: $36.8M– Cost-share assumed for some activities

> Industry: in-kind (hardware) for crash tests> FAA R&D: co-funded fuel system crash tests & in-kind fire

prevention test support

• Facilities– NASA-LaRC Impact Dynamics Research Facility

– NASA-LeRC Combustion Labs

– FAA-Tech Center Crash & Fire Facilities

• Partnerships– Strong participation of FAA Tech Center

– AGATE cooperation for early products in GA Crashworthiness

– Working on industry partners; leverage with DoD

– International ?

Planning & Rationale

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• Systems Approach to Crashworthiness and Fire Prevention contribute to NASA safety goal

• Technical content focused to reduce accident effects in order to enhance survivability; plus prevention–Crash dynamics, human protection, post-crash fire, in-

flight fire

• Technical & implementation hurdles recognized

• Preparing to execute–Finalizing plans; establishing cooperation

SummarySummary

11/16/98 nasa/am 1 aviation safety program dar accident mitigation nasa research in crashworthiness...

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