Assessment of damage containment features of a full-scale PRSEUS fuselage panel

The most recent generation of integrally stitched composite technology is the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure (PRSEUS) concept, which shows promise in enhancing structural integrity of aircraft and aerospace structures. An assessment of damage-containment capabilities of the PRSEUS concept for a full-scale fuselage panel was recently conducted under a joint program conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal Aviation Administration, and The Boeing Company. The panel was subjected to axial tension, internal pressure, and combined axial tension and internal pressure load conditions up to fracture, with a two-bay through-the-thickness notch severing the central stiffener. Panel deformation was monitored via strain gages, linear variable differential transducers, and digital image correlation. Damage formation, propagation, and accumulation were monitored visually throughout loading. Post-failure nondestructive and teardown inspections were performed in the vicinity of the notch tips where stable damage progression occurred. These test results demonstrated that the PRSEUS design exhibits improved damage-containment capability.