Incorporation of high?altitude environmental effects in the linear elastic fracture mechanics?based modeling of aluminum alloy 7075

Airframe structural components experience coupled load–environment spectra that are currently not captured in traditional damage-tolerant management approaches. The effect of incorporating fatigue crack growth kinetics relevant to high-altitude flight environments into LEFM-based predictions progression for aluminum alloy 7075-T651 was quantitatively assessed a variety using AFGROW. results this study demonstrated all conditions, the incorporation high-altitude-relevant enhanced life predictions. However, magnitude impact on overall is dependent upon subtleties spectrum, despite fact environmental effects most potent near-threshold regime da/dN versus ?K relationship. potential integrity community discussed, and remaining challenges opportunities identified.