Terahertz NDE application for corrosion detection and evaluation under shuttle tiles

Robert F. Anastasi; Eric I. Madaras; Jeffrey P. Seebo; Stephen W. Smith; Janice K. Lomness; Paul E. Hintze; Catherine C. Kammerer; William P. Winfree; Richard W. Russell

doi:10.1117/12.715128

19 April 2007 Terahertz NDE application for corrosion detection and evaluation under shuttle tiles

Robert F. Anastasi, Eric I. Madaras, Jeffrey P. Seebo, Stephen W. Smith, Janice K. Lomness, Paul E. Hintze, Catherine C. Kammerer, William P. Winfree, Richard W. Russell

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 6531, Nondestructive Characterization for Composite Materials, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Infrastructure, and Homeland Security 2007; 65310W (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.715128
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Pulsed Terahertz NDE is being examined as a method to inspect for possible corrosion under Space Shuttle Tiles. Other methods such as ultrasonics, infrared, eddy current and microwave technologies have demonstrable shortcomings for tile NDE. This work applies Terahertz NDE, in the frequency range between 50 GHz and 1 THz, for the inspection of manufactured corrosion samples. The samples consist of induced corrosion spots that range in diameter (2.54 to 15.2 mm) and depth (0.036 to 0.787 mm) in an aluminum substrate material covered with tiles. Results of these measurements are presented for known corrosion flaws both covered and uncovered and for blind tests with unknown corrosion flaws covered with attached tiles. The Terahertz NDE system is shown to detect all artificially manufactured corrosion regions under a Shuttle tile with a depth greater than 0.13 mm.

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Robert F. Anastasi, Eric I. Madaras, Jeffrey P. Seebo, Stephen W. Smith, Janice K. Lomness, Paul E. Hintze, Catherine C. Kammerer, William P. Winfree, and Richard W. Russell "Terahertz NDE application for corrosion detection and evaluation under shuttle tiles", Proc. SPIE 6531, Nondestructive Characterization for Composite Materials, Aerospace Engineering, Civil Infrastructure, and Homeland Security 2007, 65310W (19 April 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.715128

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