Integrated Hybrid Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) System

Redondo Optics Inc. proposes to demonstrate and deliver to the Navy a miniature, light weight, and low power, fully integrated multi-channel hybrid PZT/FBG acousto-ultrasound (FAULSense™) SHM system suitable for the in-situ early warning detection, identification, and localization of structural damage in advance Navy structures. The distributed FAULSense™ system uses a network of PZT actuators for the controlled excitation of acoustic waveform signals and a distributed array of FBG acoustic-ultrasound sensors for the global detection of the excitation structure response. In Phase II, ROI with the support of Sikorsky, will engineer and produce a stand-alone FAULSense SHM system and tested in a relevant aircraft platform environment under a variety of passive and dynamic aerodynamic test conditions. In the Phase II.5, ROI with the support of the Navy Program Management team, other DoD helicopter branches, and Sikorsky will transition the FAULSense™ SHM technology to a higher level of technology readiness (TRL 7-9) by conducting ground and flight tests on a relevant rotorcraft platform. All of the Navy’ current and future aircraft will benefit significantly from this project, wherein the key technological challenge is to develop methodologies for high fidelity detection and characterization of flaws and degradation in complex aerodynamic structures.