ASTM F3601-23

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: F3601 − 23
Standard Practice for
1
Structural Finite Element Model Verification and Validation
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F3601; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
1. Scope 1.6 This standard does not purport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
1.1 This practice provides guidance for verification and
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
validation of structural finite element models (FEMs) that are
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
used to support showings of compliance with Civil Aviation
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
Authority (CAA) regulations. This encompasses FEM predic-
1.7 This international standard was developed in accor-
tions of internal loads, displacements, strains, stresses,
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
stability, and post-buckling loads.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
1.2 This practice applies to normal category aeroplanes with
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
a certified maximum take-off weight of 19 000 lb (8618 kg) or
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
less and a passenger seating configuration of up to 19. Use of
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
the term aircraft throughout this specification is intended to
allow the relevant CAA(s) to accept this practice as a means of 2. Referenced Documents
2
compliance for other aircraft as they determine appropriate.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.3 Code verification for FEM software is not included in F3060 Terminology for Aircraft
the scope of this practice. It is expected, however, that the F3114 Specification for Structures
3
developer of software that is used to support showings of 2.2 Federal Standard:
14 CFR Part 23 Airworthiness Standards: Normal, Utility,
compliance has applied appropriate software quality assurance
and numerical algorithm verification processes, including Acrobatic, and Commuter Category Airplanes
benchmark cases, to verify the accuracy and consistency of the
3. Terminology
solutions. Evidence of these activities should be recorded and
documented and made available to the applicant and CAA
3.1 Definitions— The following definitions are a selection
upon request. of relevant terms. See Terminology F3060 for more definitions
and abbreviations.
1.4 The applicant for a design approval should verify CAA
3.1.1 external loads, n—loads, external from the structure or
acceptance of this practice before using it to support showings
what is being modeled, that are applied to the structure or finite
of compliance. For information on which CAA regulatory
element model (FEM) as a real-life event or part of a load
bodies have accepted this practice (in whole or in part) as a
condition (see 3.1.6).
means of compliance to airworthiness standards: normal cat-
3.1.2 finite element model, FEM, n—mathematical approxi-
egory aeroplanes (hereinafter referred to as “the Rules”), refer
mate representation of a real structure.
to the ASTM F44 webpage (www.ASTM.org/COMMITTEE/
3.1.2.1 Discussion—The structural stiffness of the part or
F44.htm), which includes CAA website links.
parts are represented as an equivalent stiffness matrix. A
1.5 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
numerical solution is performed on the FEM to determine
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
output given imposed loads, displacements, and boundary
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
conditions.
and are not considered standard.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F44 on General contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
Aviation Aircraft and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F44.30 on Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Structures. the ASTM website.
3
Current edition approved March 1, 2023. Published April 2023. DOI: 10.1520/ Available from Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 800 Independence
F3601-23. Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20591, http://www.faa.gov.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

----------------------
...