Comparative study of non-destructive testing methods of defect detection on aircraft

Abstract

There is currently an increase in the usage of composite materials both in civilian and military aircraft because of their mechanical resistance, high toughness, reduced weight and immunity to corrosion. Any damage in the fibers of these composites requires an evaluation in order to ensure the integrity of aircraft structures. Composite materials are subject to various degrees of damage during their service life and therefore maintenance of these light-weight structures is a new challenge for non-destructive testing (NDT) which requires techniques that respond with a high probability of detection of defects on such high-specific strength materials. In this thesis, Digital shearography and Infrared Thermography (IRT) techniques are employed to test aircraft composite materials. Background information on the techniques has been presented and the literature survey has confirmed the use of these techniques on aircraft structures. Much of the inspection work reviewed in the literature has focused on qualitative evaluation of the defects rather than quantitative.