minny
It is not clear from your post what kind of aircraft structure you refer to. Is it a commercial plane or a military use aircraft?
You should follow the specifications for the type of aircraft. For example: MIL-A-8860b - Airplane Strength and Rigidity, General Specification for specifies the following types of airplanes:
6.3.1.6 Model types of airplanes. Airplane model types are defined as follows:
VA - Attack airplane
Vc- Cargo airplane
VE - Electronic airplane
VF - Fighter airplane
VO - Observation airplane
VP - Patrol airplane
VR - Reconnaissance airplane
Vs- Antisubmarine airplane
VT - Trainer airplane
vu - Utility airplane
Vw- Heather airplane
In the same spec limit loads and ultimate loads are defined as follows:
3.1.2 Limit loads. The load factors and load formulas noted in any portion of this specification and the referenced specifications of section 2 represent limit loads, unless otherwise specified
3.1.3 Ultimate loads. Except for loading conditions for which specific ultimate loads are delineated, the ultimate loads are obtained by multiplying the limit loads by the ultimate factor of safety. Failure shall not occur at
the design ultimate load. The ultimate factor of safety to be used for the design of the structure shall be 1.50, except that in certain cases for considerations of added safety, rigidity, quallty assurance, and wear, additional strength or multiplying factors of safety are specified.
One more spec such as MIL-STD-8591 AIRBORNE STORES, SUSPENSION EQUIPMENT AND AIRCRAFT-STORE INTERFACE (CARRIAGE PHASE) gives the following:
5.1.1 Limit loads. The limits loads shall be the maximum and most critical combination of loads which can result from authorized ground and flight use of the air vehicle. This includes maintenance activity, system failures from which recovery is expected, a lifetime usage of the store, and all loads whose frequency of occurrence is greater than or equal to 1x10-7 occurrences per flight. All loads resulting from the requirements of this specification are limit loads unless otherwise specified.
5.1.2 Yield loads. Unless specific yield loads are delineated, yield loads shall be obtained herein by multiplying limit loads by 1.15, which is the yield factor of safety. The yield factor of safety is 1.0 for Army applications. The effects of deformation remaining after application and removal of yield loads shall be not greater than those prohibited in 5.2.
5.1.3 Ultimate loads. Except when specific ultimate loads are delineated, ultimate loads for suspension equipment or airborne stores while in the captive phase (store is within the sphere of influence of the aircraft) shall be obtained by multiplying the limit loads by 1.50, which is the ultimate factor of safety for the captive phase. The airborne store or associated suspension equipment shall not fail during application of ultimate loads. Failure includes unintended separation of the store from the suspension equipment, separation of any part of the store or
suspension equipment at ultimate or lower loads, or a material fracture of the store or suspension
equipment.
So as you can see the 1.5 factor means that under no condition the structure will fracture below 1.5 of the maximum expected load that can apply on the structure. The structure can be deep in the plastic zone but not fail and this is OK. However, at 1.15 of the limit load the deformations (even permanent) should not affect the functionality of the structure.
You should read and study carefully the specifications that are relevant to your structure.