2012 Volume 6 Issue 3 Pages 213-226
Quick and automatic inspection of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) aircraft after each flight would reduce the safety factor and allow for more flights. Visualization of impact damage was developed in an earlier study as an automatic self-monitoring method. The damaged area was visualized by selective and intense resistive heating based on its decreased through-thickness resistivity compared to undamaged areas. In the present study, the lightning protection system of a composite aircraft was used to apply a uniform electrical current distribution and electric heat to a large structure. Subsequent coupled thermal-electrical analyses showed that even small indentations (depth <0.15 mm) could be relatively easily detected in structures about 1 m in size.
