Originally Posted by
jtet (Post # 67)
Ok so the fuselage in question suffered a significant structural overload. One side - the bottom - was in tension. It didn't exhibit failure that we know of; I've not seen that the bottom of the fuselage tore open. Some version of inspection / non-destructive examination would be required to find small (for now) cracks if any exist. The other side - the top - was in compression. It exhibited wrinkling. A failure mode caused by compressive loads. Not a failure mode commonly associated with fatigue. I'd be hugely surprised if the buckling failure evident in the top of the fuselage had any relationship to cyclic loads.
But as I said... I design and evaluate pressurized cylinders and know nothing about aircraft. I'll leave conclusion drawing to the NTSB and Boeing engineers who have a better understanding of the art than I do.
Thank you! It is always rewarding to read something by someone who knows what he is talking about. This is what I appreciate about FlyerTalk.
No,
nerd, I did not ask my son. While he did indeed take focus sequence courses including aerospace structures, these days he is mostly involved with geotechnical engineering.