DSTO Support to Accident & Incident Investigations DSTO Melbourne
DSTO in Defence
DSTO structure
DSTO at a glance Budget 2011-12: $440m 11 research divisions 2600 staff 7 sites across Australia
DSTO Support to Accident & Incident Investigations Impartial, independent scientific support to the ADF, and Directorate of Defence Aviation & Air Force Safety (DDAAFS). As a national resource, support civil agencies. Maintain a team of investigators, on-call 24/7. Forensic Engineering group AVD underpins incident and accident investigations. Can draw on the depth of scientific capability within DSTO
Divisional Structure Air Vehicles Division Aircraft Materials Propulsion Systems Aircraft Structures Flight Systems Applied Hypersonics Aircraft Forensic Engineering and Accident Investigation Engine Life Management Structural Mechanics Fatigue Methods Air Vehicles Systems Scramjet Development Advanced Metallic Airframe Technologies Propulsion Prognostics & Health Management Helicopter Structural Integrity Experimental Aerodynamics, Modelling & Simulation HiFire Flight Test Program Advanced Composite Technologies Infrared Signatures and Aerothermodynamics Structural Integrity Combat and Trainer Aircraft Fluid Mechanics Smart Structures and Advanced Diagnostics Mechanical & Combustion Experimentation Structural Testing, Transport & Surveillance and Aircraft Structural Integrity Fuels & Lubricants
DSTO Scientific Capability in Support to Accident Investigation Trajectory analysis Wreckage mapping Wreckage damage analysis Forensics Oxygen systems Wiring systems Composites damage assessment Aircraft Fuel Tank Safety Engine parts assessment Wear Debris analysis Flight path reconstruction Flight simulation Meteorological/aerodynamic modelling of terrain Instrument analysis Filament analysis Human factors Structural analysis and testing POL analysis
DSTO Invention Black Box Flight Data Recorder In the 1950s a number of Comet airliners crashed without explanation. DSTO Melbourne scientist Dr David Warren and his team subsequently developed a wire recorder to record pilot conversations and instrument readings at the time of a incident. Australia became the first country to make the device mandatory on all civil aircraft. The Black Box was developed further by the US and UK, and has since become one of the most valuable aids in aviation accident investigation history.
On-Site Scientific Investigation Other on-site images??
Site Mapping DSTO has a site mapping system consisting of a GPS unit, a handheld computer, and appropriate software for mapping items of interest at a crash site Sea King Accident Nias 8 April 2005 GPS Mapping System
GPS maps of IL76 accident in East Timor 2003 Wing parts Left hand wing Right hand wing Þ Tree000.shp #Y Mlg000.shp Engine parts.shp Þ Þ Ground marks - MLG Ground marks - fence impacts Þ #Y Generic line - fences Þ #0 Fuselage parts x Cockpit - lower #0 #0 Þ Þ #0 #0 #0 #Y x x ÞÞ Þ #0 #Y #0 #0 Þ #Y #Y Þ Þ #0 #0 Þ #0 #0 Þ #0 Þ #Y #0 ù Þ Þ 30 0 30 60 Meters
3D laser mapping for rapid site recording
Examination and Analysis at DSTO Component Examination Furnace melting debris Microscopy Metallography NDI NDI Metrology Forensic examination of wreckage
Aircraft Forensic Engineering Direct support to Defence into the causes of accidents, defects and failures, and deterioration of ADF systems, equipment and materials. Largest group of scientific and technical failure specialists in Australia Support to Civil Agencies and Industry National Security Underpins: Aircraft/Helicopter Structural Integrity Full-scale fatigue tests Aircraft Accident Investigation damage
Forensic Scientific and Technical Capabilities Failure analysis of metallic, non-metallic and composite materials Corrosion investigations of materials and components Non-destructive testing (including evaluation and development) Aging Wiring and Systems Wear debris analysis Analysis of fuels and oils Metrology of components Identification of component and system problems Identification of materials and processing problems Oxygen system hazard analysis
Failure Analysis and Testing - Quantitative Fractography Determine the growth rates of cracks and apply this to fleet aircraft inspection intervals. Produce data that can be used to predict the life of aircraft structure Produce information about the loading/material interaction that may allow redesign and/or repairs to be more efficient. 30 25 30 25 F/A-18 Centre Barrel T56 Spin Rig P3 Orion Crack Depth mm 20 15 1-Nov-90 10-Jul-90 6-Jun-90 5-Aug-90 10-Jul-89 10 10 5 6-Sep-89 10-Jul-88 3-Jul-89 5-Jul-88 6-Jan-88 5-Dec-88 4-Jul-88 5 0 0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 0 Flight Number 20 15
Full-Scale Fatigue Testing
Mechanical & Combustion Experimentation Combustion Testing Technical Support Engine tests Spin tests
Health Monitoring Rotation (Degs) 360 Phase-Energy: W1438b4.vib Log Amp (db) 0-4 300-8 Vibration Diagnostics Advanced techniques for gears and bearings Engine fault diagnostics Engine Gas Path Analysis; Performance Modelling & Monitoring Wear Debris Analysis Novel Techniques Engine Torque 240 180 120 60 0 0 11 22 33 44 55 66 77 88 99 110 Frequency (orders) -12-16 -20-24 -28-32 -36-40 1000 900 800 1000 900 800 700 600 500 400 700 300 200 100 600 0 1:00:28. 1:00:37. 1:00:46. 1:00:54. 1:01:03. 1:01:12. 1:01:20. 1:01:29. 1:01:37. 1:01:46. 1:01:55. -100 80 44 08 72 36 00 64 28 92 56 20 500 400 1000 300 900 800 700 200 100 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 0 0:00:00. 0:14:24. 0:28:48. 0:43:12. 0:57:36. 1:12:00. 1:26:24. 1:40:48. 1:55:12. 2:09:36. 2:24:00. -100 0:50:24.00 00 00 00 0:53:16.80 00 00 00 00 0:56:09.60 00 00 00 00 0:59:02.40 1:01:55.20 1:04:48.00 1:07:40.80-100 Eng01 Eng02
Fuels & Lubricants Condition Monitoring Fuels (contamination/degradation) Lubricants and hydraulic fluids Fuel from Incident Aircraft Normal Fuel
Wear Debris Analysis
Analysis of Aircrew Life Support Equipment
Helmet Damage Assessment Flash Thermography
Aircraft Wiring and Systems Investigations Fire Detector Air Multiplier
Oxygen System Analysis Investigate and analyse oxygen systems Failure Modes and Effect Analysis (FMEA) and Oxygen Hazards and Fire Risk Analysis (OHFRA) Specialist oxygen equipment advice Qualification testing of ADF Aircrew samples for operational units
Aircraft Performance & Modeling aircraft flight dynamic modeling
Aeroelasticity Stores separation & trajectories Flutter prediction Weapon vibration environment
Flexible Simulation capabilities Multiple laboratories throughout DSTO Reconfigurable components Fixed and rotary wing cockpits System models Display devices Scenario development tools Analysis tools Can model accident hypotheses
DSTO Developed Generic Graphical Replay Software HawkView and Graphical Replay Software (GRS) are general display programs used to replay: - Release of Stores from aircraft - Accidents & Incidents - Software/Hardware Failures - Debrief Tool Uses either on-board data recording systems and/or external data. Can make use of all available data eg Range Instrumentation, Camera Data, Radar Data, Voice Data, Witness data Airshow 2003
Animations to illustrate findings
Frequency Analysis - Cockpit Area Microphone The rotating machinery on a helicopters produce sounds at various frequencies. Frequency analysis of the ambient noise can identify and isolate the noise generated by rotating machinery such as engines, gearboxes, and pumps 1 2 3 (A) Epicyclic gear mesh (B) Auxiliary pumps A B (C) Engine gas generator (once per rev). (D) Engine power turbine and Main rotor gearbox high-speed input shaft (once per rev). C D
Photogrammetry Photogrammetry is the Science/Engineering discipline of measuring object position using images. It can be used to reconstruct flights In this case: video footages used to determine ingress and impact conditions
Simulation from photogrammetry
Questions?