Protocol Assessment of a Field Reliability Experiment at the NDI Validation Center

摘要

An initial task pursued by the Aging Aircraft NDI Validation Center (AANC) at the request of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was to plan and to implement a specific field experiment. The purpose was to assess the reliability of detecting a crack originating within fastener holes in thin aluminum structure using high-frequency eddy current inspection methods. To accomplish this we developed a consistent and systematic methodology to assess reliability of nondestructive inspections through field experiments (Spencer et al., 1993). In this article we briefly discuss major elements necessary for field experimentation. We also relate how we tested these elements for the Eddy Current Inspection Reliability Experiment (ECIRE) through a "dress rehearsal" in the Validation Center.