<title>Detection of cracks in multilayer aircraft structures with fasteners using remote field eddy current method</title>

Abstract

The remote-field eddy-current (RFEC) technique has been shown to be highly sensitive to cracks and corrosion that are embedded deep in multi-layer aircraft structures. This paper shows the effectiveness of the approach in detecting cracks in double-layered specimens with fasteners, as well as corrosion specimens. The crack specimens, made by Lockheed George Company in 1980, had two layers held together with ten fasteners. The total thickness is 0.356' for Group A and 0.446' of Group B, respectively. Fatigue cracks were made on different layers and at different depths. The corrosion specimens are of 0.063' thick with 0.006' or 0.002' corrosion wall thinning. Another one or two much thicker plates of aluminum are placed on top of one corrosion specimen during a test. All tests were conducted using a newly developed RFEC system that includes a probe specified for inspecting thick plates. The effect of different parameters, such as excitation frequency, excitation to pick-up coil separation distance, and probe to fastener distance, were studied to determine the optimal test parameters. The system will be demonstrated along with the presentation.