Novel Coatings for Full Field Strain Measurements

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One way to enhance the safety of aircraft is through the development of new techniques that allow the structure to "talk" to the operators and indicate when they require attention, in a similar way to the human nervous system. This necessitates new and novel inspection methodologies that have the ability to magnify defects and thus, either eliminate traditional inspection techniques, or at least guide the inspectors to local areas for further investigation. The aim of this PhD is to develop a whole airframe coating or "paint" that can not only indicate location but also quantify damage. This coating development would lead to a new full-field methodology for rapid 'Hot Spot' location detection and subsequent measurement of the principal strains, resulting in more detailed information to quantify defects in the structural health monitoring of aircraft. The new coating will be implemented in optimized, predictive and condition-based maintenance operations, managing and developing health monitoring of the airframe. The project may include placements at Airbus and NPL and will involve working closely with an Airbus Contractor, VisEng Ltd. The research will be multidisciplinary, involving some materials development and testing, the physics of spraying, and strain measurement.