The Alleviation of Thermal Stresses: The Influence of Surface Insulation on the Stresses Set Up When an Aircraft Undergoes a Change of External Temperature

Abstract

The following paper investigates the dependence of the thermal stresses which are set up when an aircraft suffers an external temperature change, upon the degree of insulation of the outer skin, and upon the speed with which the external temperature change takes place. It is shown that quite thin insulating layers, such as are provided by the aircraft paintwork, can produce considerable alleviation of the thermal stresses. We should not generally, however, expect any appreciable reduction in the stresses due to the finite time taken for the external temperature to change, since effectively instantaneous variations of temperature can occur in practice, particularly when the external surface is insulated.

Citation

Parkes, E.W. (1953), "The Alleviation of Thermal Stresses: The Influence of Surface Insulation on the Stresses Set Up When an Aircraft Undergoes a Change of External Temperature", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 51-53. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb032260