Approaches and Methods of Evaluation for Composite Materials: Current Trends and the future

Abstract

Critical structures and components utilised in applications such as Aerospace, need special attention in terms of evaluation and establishment of integrity, in particular, in view of the requirements of utmost safety, quality and reliability of performance. Consequently, evolutionary approaches have been imminent and have been taking place since the time of implementation of non invasive methods in their primitive forms utilizing physical principles. However, the approach had taken a totally different direction since the introduction and utilization of newer materials such as composites for primary structural components in aerospace, automotive and several other applications. But, while in practice, the utility and the applicability of the conventional methods and procedures are severely constrained by several factors such as the type of loading, operational environment and more than any other a number of uncertainties associated with real life structures. One simple example is the variation in the mechanical properties of a material. Hence, the approaches that have been followed and are being considered from time to time needed a thorough understanding and development which has been the basis for the evolution of NDT to NDE and currently to SHM. In fact, though SHM is the most recent method of evaluation complementing the existing approaches, it still does not take care of the uncertainties. Thus, some of the recent work oriented towards solving this problem is presented in this paper.