Nondestructive Evaluation of Composite Substrate Below Thick Top Coat Materials

The Air Force (AF) operates multiple aircraft with composite structures and specialty coatings. Inevitable in-service exposure to impacts means nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques which can locate and characterizing composite substrate structural damage under the coatings is required. TRI Austin and the Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missour S&T) propose developing advanced ultrasonic testing (UT) and microwave-excitation thermography (TT) inspection techniques for this issue. UT and TT methods have different advantages/disadvantages, and the expertise of our organizations enables us to evaluate both of these within the scope of the program. During the Phase I effort, TRI Austin and Missouri S&T will develop and demonstrate UT and TT techniques for the detection of damage in composite substrates under thick polymeric coatings. We will develop the transition and business cases to support the transition of these technologies to use by the Air Force.