Abstract
If it is possible to inspect composite aircraft automatically and quickly after every flight, we can reduce the safety factor and allow for more flights. Although, an electrical resistance change method (ERCM) has been proposed as a self-monitoring method which can inspect rapidly even a large structure without expensive equipments, there are many problems with its practical application. In this study, a new diagnostic method, impact-damage visualization, was developed. Indentation damage increases fiber-fiber contact at the interlaminar interface and electrical conductivity. Consequently, electrical current applied to the material will concentrate around the damaged area, and lead to selective and intense resistive heating. This temperature increase can be observed by thermography or detected as a change in electrical resistance caused by the temperature difference. 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 >1 m in size.
