THOMAS B. MILLS

 

Summary

 

Over 5 years industry experience in researching effects of corrosion on aircraft structure. Designed and executed numerous research and testing programs to fuel emerging technologies in corrosion/structural interaction modeling. Over 10 years experience with material testing systems and associated testing standards. Over 8 years experience with both scanning electron and optical microscopy of failed laboratory and in-service components. 

Present Position & Responsibilities

2002 Analytical Processes / Engineered Solutions (APES), Inc., St. Louis, MO

·        Consulting Engineer: Integrate and implement analytical engineering tools. Develop new structural models for corrosion for implementation into fracture-mechanics-based philosophies. Conduct detailed fractographic analyses and crack-history construction of failed components using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Design experimental programs to test and validate new hypotheses about behaviors of material and structural systems.

Experience History

 

2000-2002 Principal Engineer for Structural Corrosion, Aerostructures Technologies, P/L, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

·        Research Engineer: Designed and executed numerous research programs to include corrosion damage into traditional damage tolerance assessment for aircraft. Work focused on exfoliation and pitting in aluminum alloys and pitting in high-strength steels, particularly for the RAAF’s Sole Operator Program for the F-111 strike aircraft. Developed artificial corrosion protocols for pitting in high-strength steel. Incorporated pitting damage into full-scale fatigue tests of F-111 wing structure. Conducted extensive failure analysis for laboratory and in-service aircraft components.

 

1997-2000 Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH

·        Research Engineer: Designed and executed numerous research programs to determine effects of corrosion on aircraft structure. Served as technical expert on several high-profile USAF programs. Conducted research into bonded-composite repair of metallic structures. Installed several bonded composite repairs on cracked wings of USAF aircraft as part of bonded-repair technology demonstration.  Coordinated several international-level research activities and participated in six-month scientist exchange with Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation in 1999.

 

 

1992-1997 University of Utah

·        Graduate Research Assistant: Gained familiarity with ASTM testing standards and use of closed-loop, servo-hydraulic material testing equipment. Conducted thesis research into effects of exfoliation corrosion on fatigue in aluminum. Conducted research into the involvement of corrosion and fretting fatigue on aircraft accidents and incidents. Taught undergraduate-level material test laboratory classes. Selected to participate two summers (1995 and 1996) in the AFOSR Graduate Student Summer Research Program at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH during which guided and executed corrosion/fatigue research programs for the USAF.

 

 

Education

University of Utah

      Doctor of Philosophy, Mechanical Engineering                                    January 1997

·        Thesis: “The Combined Effects of Prior-Corrosion and Aggressive Chemical Environments on Fatigue Crack Growth Behavior in Aluminum Alloy 7075-T651”

Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering                                               June 1995

·        Thesis: The Effects of Exfoliation Corrosion on the Fatigue Response of 7075-T651 Aluminum Plate”

·        Coursework in graduate school emphasized corrosion effects on structure, fatigue and damage tolerance, and metallurgy.

University of Missouri—Kansas City

      Bachelor of Science. Mechanical Engineering                                 December 1991

 

PAPERS PRESENTED AT PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS

 

1.      T. Mills, K. Honeycutt, C. Brooks, I. Hammad, and D. Peeler. Managing damage in the wing: modeling the interaction of exfoliation with static and fatigue loads. Presented at the Sixth Joint FAA/DoD/NASA Conference on Aging Aircraft, San Francisco, California, September 2002.

2.      T. Mills, P. K. Sharp, C. Loader, “The Incorporation of Pitting Corrosion Damage into F-111 Fatigue Life Modeling,” DSTO-RR-0237, DSTO/AMRL, June 2002.

3.      P. K. Sharp, T. Mills, and G. Clark, “Modeling of Fatigue Crack Growth from Pitting and Exfoliation Corrosion”, Proceedings of the 20th Symposium of the International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue, Toulouse, France, 2001.

4.      P. K. Sharp, T. Mills, and G. Clark, “Aircraft Structural Integrity: The Impact of Corrosion,” ICF 10, Hawaii, 2001.

5.      S. G. Russo, P. K. Sharp, R. Dhamari, T. Mills, B. R. W. Hinton, K. Shankar, and G. Clark, “Effect of the Environment and Corrosion on the Fatigue Life of a Simulated Aircraft Structural Joint,” IMPLAST 2000.

6.      P. K. Sharp, T. Mills, S. Russo, G. Clark, L. Qianchu, “Effects of Exfoliation Corrosion on the Fatigue Life of Two High-Strength Aluminum Alloys,” 4th Joint DoD/FAA/NASA Conference on Aging Aircraft, St Louis, May 2000.

7.      J. D. Baldwin, T. Mills, and C. A. Paul, “Statistical Analysis of Fatigue Behavior of Aluminum Alloys in the Presence of Prior Corrosion,” Fatigue in New and Aging Aircraft, R Cook, P Poole (eds.), Proceedings of the 19th Symposium of the International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue, Edinburgh, Scotland, 18-20 June 1997.

8.      D. W. Hoeppner, L. Grimes, A. Hoeppner, J. Ledesma, T. Mills, and A. Shah, “Corrosion and Fretting as Critical Aviation Safety Issues: Case Studies, Facts, and Figures from U.S. Aircraft Accidents and Incidents,” Proceedings of the 18th Symposium of the International Committee on Aeronautical Fatigue, Melbourne, Australia, 1-5 May 1995.