Modeling and Simulation for the Accelerated Development of Materials

AF04-155 proposes a reduction in the maturation time between the identification of a novel material and its entry into service, in part through improved experimental characterization and evaluation. The development of a monitoring system capable of acquiring and processing full-field data from the surface of a material, and simultaneously detecting the presence and location of short fatigue cracks, would promote a more rapid understanding of the fatigue behavior of the material and thus expedite fatigue testing programs. RNET proposes the development of an advanced Infrared Damage Detection System (IDDS) capable of such real-time analysis. Using a staring-array infrared detector to record the thermal emission from a material surface, the system will allow the continuous inspection of a fatigue test at temperatures which are representative of the in-service conditions for gas turbine materials. An operator will be able to view, via a computer system, full-field visual feedback from algorithms which will indicate the presence of both fatigue cracks and other infrared signatures, whilst differentiating between them. The IDDS developed during this SBIR will comprise an infrared camera and lens system, associated cabling and computer interface cards, a desktop computer, and software suite for `turnkey' infrared damage monitoring and short crack detection.