Nondestructive Materials Characterization

With an emphasis on aircraft materials, this book describes techniques for the material characterization to detect and quantify degradation processes such as corrosion and fatigue. It introduces readers to these techniques based on x-ray, ultrasonic, optical and thermal principles and demonstrates the potential of the techniques for a wide variety of applications concerning aircraft materials, especially aluminum and titanium alloys. The advantages and disadvantages of various techniques are evaluated. An introductory chapter describes the typical degradation mechanisms that must be considered and the microstructure features that have to be detected by NDE methods. Finally, some approaches for making lifetime predictions are discussed. It is suitable as a textbook in special training courses in advanced NDE and aircraft materials characterization.

1 Degradation of Aircraft Structures.- 2 Optical Detection of Surface Damage.- 3 Microradiographic and Foil Penetration Methods for Quantification of Localized Corrosion.- 4 Interferometric and Holographic Imaging of Surface Wave Patterns for Characterization of Material Degradation.- 5 Surface Acoustic Wave Characterization of Pitting Corrosion Damage with Fatigue Crack.- 6 Ultrasonic Fatigue Crack Detection in Aluminum and Titanium Alloys.- 7 Early Detection of Fatigue Damage in Ti-6A1-4V with Nonlinear Acoustics.- 8 Ultrasonic Absorption Measurements.- 9 Thermographic Materials Characterization.- 10 Scanning Vibrating Electrode Technique as a Benchmark for NDE of Corrosion.- 11 Acoustic Imaging Techniques for Characterization of Corrosion, Corrosion Protective Coatings, and Surface Cracks.- 12 Scanning Probe Microscopy: Ultrasonic Force and Scanning Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy.- 13 High Resolution Microellipsometry.- 14 Positron Annihilation Spectroscopy (PAS).