AEA TECHNOLOGY is studying the use of optical fibres for monitoring the condition of aircraft structures and detecting faults. The idea could lead to safety improvements and reductions in aircraft weight. The technology is being tested on carbonfibre composite panels representative of the wing of an aircraft.
AEA, a division of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, is a partner in the Optical Fibre Sensing Systems for Monitoring of Structures (OSMOS) Programme, the aim of which, is to develop optical-fibre sensing tools capable of measuring both the strain and the temperature of materials and signaling the onset of a failure. Other OSMOS partners include French companies Aerospatiale and Thomson-CSF, Alenia of Italy, and the University of Strathclyde in the UK. The scheme is partially funded by the European Commission's BRITE EURAM II initiative.
The technique involves embedding optical fibres into or attaching them on to the structure to be monitored. Damage can then be identified by recording irregularities in the way that light travels through the fibre. The optical fibres can be "built into" fibre-reinforced composites during manufacture.
AEA says that the technology offers three major benefits: materials failures can be identified before they become a serious safety risk; the requirement for non-productive visual inspections is reduced; and the dimensions of some structures can be reduced as safety margins can be more accurately predicted.
The UK organisation is carrying out further work on so-called "Smart Materials Systems" which not only sense changes in their environment, but can respond to these changes through the use of actuators and control systems.
Source: Flight International
