Our analysis capabilities are extensive.
Structural Analysis
Loads & Dynamics Analysis
Thermal/Structural Analysis at Cryogenic Temperatures
Computational Fluid Dynamics
Composite Overwarp Pressure Vessel (COPV) Software Program
Linear and Non-Linear Static Analysis
WCA has extensive experience predicting stress, stain, and displacements in both metallic and composite structures. These structures and there driving loads/environments are simulated using a finite elements in NX Nastran. The stresses generated during the simulation are compared to yield or ultimate material strength values in order to demonstrate compliance with required margins of safety or factors of safety. Analysis of composite structures includes predictions of ply, interlaminar, and transverse stresses. For bolted structures, WCA is experienced in evaluating fastener loads, tear-out loads, pull-out loads, and bearing loads.
Structural and Composite Laminate Optimization
Composite optimized structures can provide significant benefits including lower material cost and maximum weight performance. Wasatch Composite Analysis performs structural optimization to minimize structural weight subject to force, displacement, and frequency constraints.
Launch Inertial Analysis
The engineers and analysts at WCA have a combined 40+ years of experience and skills necessary to define complex loads and solve inertial loading problems, using advanced computational methods including finite element analysis. WCA has extensive experience in defining the loads applied to a variety of aerospace structures. These include loads have been developed many aerospace structures such as launch vehicles and aircraft during flight, or transportation and handling inertial loading.
Dynamic Analysis
WCA performs modal analysis and forced response dynamics. We have supported the dynamic analysis aircraft winglets that must survive transportation drop loads, bird strike, random vibration and shock environments. Our dynamics analysis capabilities include: normal modes analysis; frequency response; random, and sine vibration analysis; including shock analysis.
Modal response analyses can be as simple as determining the initial excitation mode shape of a circular plate, to the complex Tacoma Narrows bridge failure with wind induced flow vortices shedding of aeroelastic flutter matching the torsional natural frequency of the bridge. The Tacoma Narrows bridge is an excellent example of what can happen when an engineer under designs the torsional stiffness of a structure, and does not fully understand the proper loading environments. WCA has the depth and experience to evaluate correct and accurate loading.
Thermal/Structural Analysis at Cryogenic Temperatures
Wasatch Composite Analysis has the experience, expertise, and knowledge to preform cryogenic analysis using our in-house software to map temperatures from a thermal model to a structural model’s nodes. This tool interpolates the thermal model temperature field or cloud of points onto the discrete nodal locations in the finite element model utilizing a tri-linear interpolation methodology.
Computational Fluid Dynamics
WCA has developed partnerships with several Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) experts to provide pressure loading profiles of normal and shear pressure distributions to accurately analyze your fluid flow driven structures. Our partners have experience in analysis of subsonic, transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flow regimes, as well as single phase, multi-phase, and reacting flows.
Unique Design Code at WCA: Composite Overwarp Pressure Vessel (COPV) Program
- The COPV codes allows fast preliminary pressure vessel design trades with a direct interface to NASTRAN finite element analysis.
- COPV utilizes closed form Netting Analysis to calculate composite Hoop and Helical thickness from composite material properties, internal pressure, geometry, and winding parameters
- The COPV code develops the 3D orthotropic material properties based on changing winding angle down the dome, and exports them in a Nastran format.
- Software licensing available for purchase.