Breaking the Testing Pyramid with Virtual Testing and Hybrid Simulation

Virtual testing and hybrid simulation have become an important trend in airplane design and validation. The traditional Testing Pyramid (or Building Block) approaches that emphasis on uniaxial coupon test and full structure certification test are being challenged. Researchers are trying to use advanced testing and simulation methods to replace the Testing Pyramid approach.

Before physical testing, virtual testing can be conducted to simulate the physical test. Virtual model of the full testing system including controller, actuators, and fixtures can be constructed and validated. In this work, an example has been developed and validated to show the potentials of the virtual testing process.

Hybrid simulation is an approach of analyzing an analysis model and physical structure integrated system under realistic loading conditions. Hybrid simulation combines the lab testing with numerical analysis to explore the benefits of both methodologies. In this study, a hybrid simulation for a simplified airplane wing was conducted to demonstrate the process.

Virtual testing and hybrid simulation are alternative methods of Testing Pyramid approach. Full scale tests are still required for certification but the more that is known about the test article, the greater chances of success in the full-scale certification testing.