Mechanical Engineering Commons^™

Developing Test Methods For Compression After Lightning Strikes, Xiaodong Xu, Scott L. J. Millen, Juhyeong Lee, Gasser Abdelal, Daniel Mitchard, Michael R. Wisnom, Adrian Murphy

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Faculty Publications

Research into residual strength after lightning strike is increasing within the literature. However, standard test methods for measuring residual compressive strength after lightning strikes do not exist. For the first time, a systematic experimental study is undertaken to evaluate modifications necessary to standard Compression After Impact (CAI) specimen geometry and test jig design to induce specimen failure at the lightning damage region. Four laboratory generated lightning strike currents with peak amplitudes ranging from 25 to 100 kA have been studied. Test set-up modifications were made considering the scale of the lightning damage and its potential proximity to specimen edges. Specimen …