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Last Updated
March 6, 2007

Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus

Photograph of the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus Photograph of a cracked test panel in the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus Photograph of a cracked joint in the Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus

The Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus (TAFA), a progressive wave tube test facility, is used to test structures for dynamic response and sonic fatigue due to combined, high-intensity thermal acoustic environments. Prior to 1994, it was used to support development of the thermal protection system for the Space Shuttle and the National Aerospace Plane, and various generic hypersonic vehicle structures.

Extensive modifications to the sound generation system and to the wave tube itself were made in 1994 and 1995 to improve the facility’s performance. Since these improvements, it has been used for sonic fatigue studies of the wing strake subcomponents on the High Speed Civil Transport. In 2000, enhancements were made to the acoustic control system to provide an automated means of shaping of a wide variety of spectrum shapes in a fast and efficient manner. As a result, acoustic control was improved in spectrum shaping ability, test section coherence, the addition of multiple inputs to the control, and the time required to attain control. Also, a new closed-loop temperature controller and thermocouple data acquisition system was developed to replace the previous system.

These improvements make possible the generation of a wide variety of test spectra, including blast or transient loadings. The facility has a frequency range of 40 to 500 Hz and an OASPL range of 126 to 172 dB. The 360 kW quartz lamp heating system provides radiant heat with a peak heat flux of 54 W/cm2.

Detailed performance data may be found in "Improvements to Progressive Wave Tube Performance Through Closed-Loop Control," NASA/TM-2000-210623, by Stephen A. Rizzi, and in "Enhanced Capabilities of the NASA Langley Thermal Acoustic Fatigue Apparatus," Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Recent Advances in Structural Dynamics, by Stephen A. Rizzi and Travis L. Turner.