Impact-damage inspection for composite aircraft employing two-step ERCM using lightning protection system

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25820341
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Composite materials/Surface and interface engineering
• Research Institution: Tokyo Institute of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Yoshiro 東京工業大学, 理工学研究科, 助教 (40631221)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 非破壊検査 / 繊維強化複合材料 / 層間はく離 / 衝撃損傷

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) has high mechanical properties, the impact-damage resistance of laminated CFRP continues to be a weak point. An off-plate load easily causes delamination cracking. This study presents an inspection method for composite aircraft components employing the two-step ERCM using lightning protection system. By utilizing strong electrical anisotropy of CFRPs, we can heat only arbitrarily selected layer(s) in a laminated CFRP structure using resistive heating. Because the delamination crack interrupts heat conduction, we can detect the crack by monitoring temperature profile on the structure surface. The method could be used with existing airplane lightning protection systems, which consist of metal strips or mesh mounted on the aircraft surface.

Free Research Field

工学