Advanced Signal Processing Methods for Inspection of Aircraft Structural Materials

Aircraft, their assemblies, and units must provide high durability and reliability, and maintain mechanical and technological characteristics throughout the life span of the aircraft. Different elements of aircraft structures work under mechanical loads, over a wide temperature range, with varying degrees of exposure to corrosive environments. Aircraft structural materials have a variation in the characteristics values and require the various testing methods for their inspection.

In many NDT methods applied in aviation materials testing, signals that could be represented by a narrowband processes model are used. Known methods of their processing are focused on determining and analyzing the signals amplitude characteristics, but the information resource contained in phase characteristics is not used.

In the article, the methodology for signal processing and determining phase characteristics in the time domain are discussed. It is based on the combination of the discrete Hilbert transform and the deterministic and statistical methods of the phase measurement. There are given examples of the application of the methodology for pulsed eddy current testing of electrically conductive materials and products, ultrasonic thickness measurement of products made of materials have significant ultrasonic attenuation, the realization impulse variant of acoustic impedance flaw detection of products made of composite materials. The examples have shown that the proposed signal processing methodology enables to determine new information parameters and signal characteristics for the industry, and extend the scope of known NDT methods.