Damage size monitoring of composite aircraft structures based on ultrasonic testing and image processing
Angelika Wronkowicz, Krzysztof Dragan
Quarterly No. 3, 2016 pages 154-160
DOI:
keywords: damage size monitoring, composite structures, ultrasonic testing, image processing
abstract According to damage tolerance philosophy, a composite component with a flaw is allowed to be operated if it is included in a maintenance program that will ensure damage detection before it reduces the residual strength of the structure below an acceptable limit. One of the damage tolerance approaches includes damage extent identification and monitoring of its growth. In view of the progressive behaviour of damage in composite structures, they should be periodically inspected to monitor damage progression. This article presents an approach to damage size monitoring of composite aircraft structures by means of ultrasonic testing with the C-scan mode and a developed algorithm based on image processing techniques. To test the algorithm, pairs of results of ultrasonic testing of composite elements of aircraft, carried out at time intervals, were used. The analysis of such results is difficult due to the complexity of the obtained C-scans, which is caused by the variable thickness of the aircraft skin and the presence of other elements in the tested structure (e.g. rivets and reinforcements). The proposed method enables the extraction of damage contours, preceded by indication of regions of interest by an expert, and calculation of an increase in the damage surface area, based on two input C-scans, as well as comparison of their contours.