CATEC has completed a project in order to implement the Highly Accelerated Life Tests in aerospace components

The Highly Accelerated Life Test (HALT) and Highly Accelerated Stress Screening (HASS) are new methodologies for detecting and correcting errors and weaknesses in the design and manufacturing phases. This type of testing requires the development and validation of a technique that allows subjecting structural components to such tests.

Applying the methodology of HALT/HASS tests to aero-structural components of carbon fibre composite has allowed to evaluate the behaviour of such materials against thermal, mechanical and environmental (conditions on the composition of the testing atmosphere) stresses, separately in the first phase and in combination in the second phase.

The need to assess the loss of properties of the tested components entails the design of a test campaign, both non-destructive and destructive, that permits to know the evolution and behaviour of the specimens during the accelerated life tests.

The accelerated aging of the composite through this methodology involves loss of property, life reduction and fatigue reduction of the composite. At the same time, the detection of faults during the manufacturing process and the processing of this material through the HALT/HASS methodology has meant the fulfilment of the EVA2 project’s main objective. This initiative has been funded through the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, Science and Employment of the Regional Government of Andalusia, with the support of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).