Structural Health Monitoring, In-Service Experience, Benefit and Way Ahead

摘要

The Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is an important requirement to handle military aircraft safety. In contrast with civil aircraft, the missions, configurations and environments changing frequently and therefore also the load spectra, which lead to a various life consumption. With structural health monitoring the actual life consumption of each individual aircraft based on the real loads will be determined. This is the basis for an economic and safety in-service operation of a flying weapon system. This paper shows the actual structural health monitoring systems and additional support systems, which are integrated within the German Air Force and lists the pros and cons of these systems based on in-service experience. Referring to this experience the benefit of the modernization of a SHM-System will be presented and the requirements on a modern SHM-System especially for the ground support system and the logistic and in addition for new monitoring areas like undercarriage will be worked out. A special view will be given on the possible integration of modern damage detection methods in existing and new SHM-Systems.