Overload Detection/Health Monitoring Landing Gear Sensor System Proposal

In recent years, both the major aircraft manufacturers and airline customers have asked landing gear suppliers to begin the development of a viable overload detection/health monitoring system (ODHMS) for in-service and future aircraft landing gear projects. At present, there is no reliable/quantifiable means of determining whether a landing gear has been overloaded during both landing and ground maneuvering conditions. Instead, airlines and aircraft manufacturers rely on a combination of the pilot's judgement and flight recorder data. This thesis outlines current overload detection methods and their shortcomings. It also proposes two possible ODHMS system configurations and provides the basic algorithms required to predict the applied loads acting on the landing gear. Both ODHMS systems require the use of strain guages and potential guage types are reviewed. Finally, a technology development test plan is outlined to produce a mature ODHMS to be placed on the next generation single aisle aircraft platform.