Preliminary computational identification of signature frequencies and amplitudes indicative of faults in carbon composite samples

摘要

This paper reports on results from a series of experiments designed to establish the viability of identifying faults in carbon composite structures by computer. The hypothesis under vestigation is that good and faulty areas exhibit different characteristics when tapped and that these characteristics can be idenified by computer. The experiments were undertaken using a manufactured carbon composite sample with induced faults, but the technique is ultimately envisaged as applying to large-scale Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) of aircraft. The trace of the relaxation frequency resulting from the carbon composite sample being tapped was downloaded to a computer and analyzed. The results of the experiments are discussed, and it is argued that the experiments were successful in establishing the viability of the approach as it was possible to program the computer to isolate and report on the differences between good and faulty areas. At this stage of the project use was made of standard software applications packages and it is acknowledged it would not be practical in the field, it is too slow and unwieldy. However, the experiments did point the way to automating the processes so that it ultimately will be fast, user friendly and robust enough for use in the field.