Structural health monitoring of helicopter hard landing using 3D digital image correlation

Bruce LeBlanc; Christopher Niezrecki; Peter Avitabile

doi:10.1117/12.847318

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8 April 2010 Structural health monitoring of helicopter hard landing using 3D digital image correlation

Bruce LeBlanc, Christopher Niezrecki, Peter Avitabile

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Proceedings Volume 7650, Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems 2010; 76501V (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.847318
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

During operation of vehicles and structures, excessive transient loading can lead to reduced fatigue life and even mechanical failure. It has been shown that when a structure undergoes a damaging sequence of events, such as those occurring during a helicopter hard landing, the structural health of a specimen can be severely affected. In order to effectively quantify damage and monitor the structural health of the specimen, experimental data is required across a wide area of the helicopter. Within this paper the use of three-dimensional (3D) digital image correlation (DIC) and dynamic photogrammetry (DP) is examined as a possible method to acquire the necessary data to perform structural health monitoring in a non-obtrusive manner. DIC and DP are a non-contacting measurement techniques that utilizes a stereo pair of digital cameras to track prescribed surface pattern or optical targets placed on the structure. The approaches can provide global information about changes to the structure over the entire field of view. A scale laboratory test is performed on a helicopter to simulate several loading scenarios. The changes in the structural shape and strain field of the model helicopter fuselage as a direct result of the loadings are identified. The tests demonstrate that this technique is a valid way to determine the damage inflicted on the structure due to an excessive applied loading or dynamic maneuver. Practical applications and common limitations of the technique are discussed.

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Bruce LeBlanc, Christopher Niezrecki, and Peter Avitabile "Structural health monitoring of helicopter hard landing using 3D digital image correlation", Proc. SPIE 7650, Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems 2010, 76501V (8 April 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.847318

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