Predictive modeling of material properties for aircraft control cables

This study aims to investigate the relationship between material properties and alloying elements of carbon steels through predictive modeling. Aircraft control cables are usually made of steel materials and subjected to deformation because of the motion of control surfaces such as aileron, rudder, elevator and trailing edge flaps. Investigation of the relationship between material properties and alloying elements would therefore be explored.

This study is focused on the modeling of mechanical properties of carbon steels concerning the content of alloying elements by using response surface methodology with false discovery rate (FDR) correction approach. SAS Institute JMP data analysis software was used to develop response and argument relationships in various carbon steels without including thermomechanical treatment effect. Mechanical properties were considered as tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, and Brinell hardness. Carbon (0.28 Wt.%-0.46 Wt.%) and manganese (0.7 Wt.%-0.9 Wt.%) proportions were gathered from ASM Handbook. Linear regression models were tested for the statistical adequacy by using analysis of variance and statistical significance analysis. A posterior probability, which refers to Benjamini–Hochberg FDR (BH-FDR), was embedded as multiple testing corrections of the t-test p-values.

Predictive modeling of the material properties for aircraft control cables was successfully achieved by using the response surface method with BH-FDR significance level of 0.05.

The effect of statistically developed graphical interactions of alloying elements on the common mechanical properties of such steels would provide prompt comparison to material suppliers and part manufacturers except those subjected to thermomechanical treatment applications.