Infrared NDT - Thermography:

In order to further analyse our structures non-destructively, we have a FLIR infrared thermal imaging camera which records the thermal response of the structure after an external excitation via a heat lamp. This is a fast and effective NDT method suitable for detection and inspection of cracks, defects, voids and inhomogeneities in the structure. It also has the capability to thermal map stresses during material testing.

PSV-500 Scanning LDV:

To analyse propagating guided waves and their interaction with defects in a structure, we have a Polytec PSV-500 3D scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV). This allows us to analyse the propagating ultrasonic waves in both spatial and temporal domains without surface contact for sensing. This gives us a wealth of useful and insightful data which we then incorporate into developing our SHM methodologies as well as validating computational numerical models.

Ultrasonic Inspection:

We have a large (1700x1200x800mm) Triton 1700TT ultrasonic immersion tank to ensure there are no manufacturing defects in our structures and to analyse any defects we deliberately introduce. The equipment is linked to a TecniTest NDT software than allows the user to analyse the data in the common ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ scan by controlling a piezoelectric probe that scans our structure in either the pulse echo or the through transmission method at speeds of up to 500mm/s.