Materials diagnostics: non-destructive identification of degraded areas of microstructure

摘要

The influence of material anisotropy on the exploitation performance of structural elements is recognized still insufficiently. The state seems to be the more evident if we consider that each type of materials inhomogeneity is not neutral in relation to its properties. In this field, carefully selected characteristics - the kind of microstructure diagnostics - delivers valuable data for the identification and quantification of desired material parameters deciding its usability. A separate problem is a spatial distribution of the parameters, which is an important feature of advanced, multifunctional materials with gradient- or/and layered structure. Further stages of the microstructure diagnostics covering the prediction of material behaviour in exploitation conditions and the estimation of the time of safe exploitation are still challenging research problems.