Column buckling?
Bryan,
Your explanation sounds like column buckling. It seems quite possible that the slope of a particular bump could put the gear leg largely into compression, and the bending momemt Raiz has described is just what's needed to upset the balance of the column. Once a column starts to go, that's pretty much all she's wrote.
Good analysis, Raiz.
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Simply put so that I could understand the issue without a math degree it was explained to me that the steel used in the nose gear leg when put into a press and having rearward force applied showed an interesting characteristic. At around 1,500-1,700lbs of force the integrity of the metal changed and the gear leg effectively became a noodle. With this force applied they could move it around at will as if it had no resistance to offer. As the force was reduced the strength returned and the gear leg acted as intended.
<snip>
Bryan,
Your explanation sounds like column buckling. It seems quite possible that the slope of a particular bump could put the gear leg largely into compression, and the bending momemt Raiz has described is just what's needed to upset the balance of the column. Once a column starts to go, that's pretty much all she's wrote.
Good analysis, Raiz.