Computational Nondestructive Evaluation Case Studies at NASA

The state of the art of numerical simulation of nondestructive evaluations (NDE) has begun to transition from research to application. The simulation software, both commercial and custom, has reached a level of maturity where it can be readily deployed to solve real world problems. The next area of research that is beginning to emerge is determining when and how to NDE simulation should be applied. At NASA Langley Research Center, NDE simulations have already been utilized for several aerospace projects to facilitate or enhance understanding of the inspection optimization and interpretation of results. Researchers at NASA have identified several different scenarios where it is appropriate to utilized NDE simulations. In this presentation, we will describe these scenarios, give examples of each instance, and demonstrate how NDE simulations were applied to solve problems with an emphasis on the mechanics of integrating with other workgroups. These examples will include inspection planning for multi-layer pressure vessels as well as on-orbit inspections.