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Tuesday, June 9, 2009 - 11:30 AM
SSP1.6

Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft: An Aluminum Producer's Contribution

J. C. Ehrstrom, Alcan, Voreppe, France; G. Pouget, L. Cervi, Alcan CRV, Voreppe, France; M. Marquette, Alcan PAT, Montreuil Juigné, France

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is perceived as a technology that will reduce the maintenance cost and that can offer weight saving options in future aircraft structures. Different technologies are proposed, including vibration based methods, acoustic emission, vacuum monitoring, fiber optics. These are currently being tested or even implemented in aircraft structures thereby preparing a real widespread use.

 Aluminum structures are in some respect better suited to SHM than Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP), for instance thanks to their lower mechanical damping or lower permeability. The inclusion of sensors within Aluminum semi-products was identified by Alcan as a development axis since embedded sensors are desirable to allow for safe manipulation, paint removal etc.

 Examples of products manufactured in the laboratory or in a plant that contain embedded sensors will be presented: fiber optics in an extrusion, hollow stringers obtained directly by extrusion or using adapted friction stir welding conditions, suitable for vacuum monitoring of PZT inclusion.

 The field of SHM is multi-disciplinary, requiring the mastery of sensor physics, connections, signal processing, reliability, usage strategy, and more issues. Fully industrial implementation requires more development but it is Alcan’s understanding that the Aluminum producers can contribute effectively to the domain, and that Aluminum aircraft structures of the future will benefit from this effort.

 

 


Summary: Aluminum structures are in some respect better suited to SHM than Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP), for instance thanks to their lower mechanical damping or lower permeability. The inclusion of sensors within Aluminum semi-products was identified by Alcan as a development axis since embedded sensors are desirable to allow for safe manipulation, paint removal etc. Examples of products manufactured in the laboratory or in a plant that contain embedded sensors will be presented: fiber optics in an extrusion, hollow stringers obtained directly by extrusion or using adapted friction stir welding conditions, suitable for vacuum monitoring of PZT inclusion.