Publications

The reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) heat shield components on the Space Shuttle's wings must withstand harsh atmospheric reentry environments where the wing leading edge can reach temperatures of 3,000 F. Potential damage includes impact damage, micro cracks, oxidation in the silicon carbide-to-carbon-carbon layers, and interlaminar disbonds. Since accumulated damage in the thick, carbon-carbon and silicon-carbide layers of the heat shields can lead to catastrophic failure of the Shuttle's heat protection system, it was essential for NASA to institute an accurate health monitoring program. NASA's goal was to obtain turnkey inspection systems that could certify the integrity of the Shuttle heat shields prior to each mission. Because of the possibility of damaging the heat shields during removal, the NDI devices must be deployed without removing the leading edge panels from the wing. Recently, NASA selected a multi-method approach for inspecting the wing leading edge which includes eddy current, thermography, and ultrasonics. The complementary superposition of these three inspection techniques produces a rigorous Orbiter certification process that can reliably detect the array of flaws expected in the Shuttle's heat shields. Sandia Labs produced an in-situ ultrasonic inspection method while NASA Langley developed the eddy current and thermographic techniques. An extensive validation process, including blind inspections monitored by NASA officials, demonstrated the ability of these inspection systems to meet the accuracy, sensitivity, and reliability requirements. This report presents the ultrasonic NDI development process and the final hardware configuration. The work included the use of flight hardware and scrap heat shield panels to discover and overcome the obstacles associated with damage detection in the RCC material. Optimum combinations of custom ultrasonic probes and data analyses were merged with the inspection procedures needed to properly survey the heat shield panels. System features were introduced to minimize the potential for human factors errors in identifying and locating the flaws. The in-situ NDI team completed the transfer of this technology to NASA and USA employees so that they can complete 'Return-to-Flight' certification inspections on all Shuttle Orbiters prior to each launch.

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Rotorcraft structures do not readily lend themselves to quantifiable inspection methods due to airframe construction techniques. Periodic visual inspections are a common practice for detecting corrosion. Unfortunately, when the telltale signs of corrosion appear visually, extensive repair or refurbishment is required. There is a need to nondestructively evaluate airframe structures in order to recognize and quantify corrosion before visual indications are present. Nondestructive evaluations of rotorcraft airframes face inherent problems different from those of the fixed wing industry. Most rotorcraft lap joints are very narrow, contain raised fastener heads, may possess distortion, and consist of thinner gage materials ({approximately}0.012--0.125 inches). In addition the structures involve stack-ups of two and three layers of thin gage skins that are separated by sealant of varying thickness. Industry lacks the necessary data techniques, and experience to adequately perform routine corrosion inspection of rotorcraft. In order to address these problems, a program is currently underway to validate the use of eddy current inspection on specific rotorcraft lap joints. Probability of detection (POD) specimens have been produced that simulate two lap joint configurations on a model TH-57/206 helicopter. The FAA's Airworthiness Assurance Center (AANC) at Sandia Labs and Bell Helicopter have applied single and dual frequency eddy current (EC) techniques to these test specimens. The test results showed enough promise to justify beta site testing of the eddy current methods evolved in this study. The technique allows users to distinguish between corrosion signals and those caused by varying gaps between the assembly of skins. Specific structural joints were defined as prime corrosion areas and a series of corrosion specimens were produced with 5--20% corrosion distributed among the layers of each joint. Complete helicopter test beds were used to validate the laboratory findings. This paper will present the laboratory and field results that quantify the EC technique's corrosion detection performance. Plans for beta site testing, adoption of the new inspection procedure into routine rotorcraft maintenance, and NDI training issues will also be discussed.