Publications

Spatially resolved analysis of material response to destructive environments utilizing three-dimensional scans

Engerer, Jeffrey D.; Brown, Alexander B.

The surface topology of a solid subjected to destructive environments is often difficult to quantify. In thermal environments, the size and shape of the solid changes as it pyrolyzes, ablates, warps, or chars. Quantitative descriptions of such responses are valuable for data reporting and model validation. In this work, a three-dimensional scanner is evaluated for non-destructive material analysis. The scans spatially resolve the response of materials to a high-heat-flux environment. To account for the effect of distortion induced in thin materials, back-side scans of the sample are used to characterize the displacement of the bulk material. Data spanning the area of the sample, rather than using a net or average quantity, enhances the evaluation of the crater formed by the incident flux. The 3D reconstruction of the sample also provides the ability to perform volumetric calculations. The data obtained from this methodology may be useful for characterizing materials exposed to a variety of destructive environments.