Examination of pulsed eddy current for inspection of second layer aircraft wing lap-joint structures using outlier detection methods

Ageing aircraft are susceptible to fatigue cracks at bolt hole locations in multi-layer aluminum wing lap-joints due to cyclic loading conditions experienced during typical aircraft operation, Current inspection techniques require removal of fasteners to permit inspection of the second layer from within the bolt hole. Inspection from the top layer without fastener removal is desirable in order to minimize aircraft downtime while reducing the risk of collateral damage. The ability to detect second layer cracks without fastener removal has been demonstrated using a pulsed eddy current (PEC) technique. The technique utilizes a breakdown of the measured signal response into its principal components, each of which is multiplied by a representative factor known as a score. The reduced data set of scores, which represent the measured signal, are examined for outliers using cluster analysis methods in order to detect the presence of defects. However, the cluster analysis methodology is limited by the fact that a number of representative signals, obtained from fasteners where defects are not present, are required in order to perform classification of the data. Alternatively, blind outlier detection can be achieved without having to obtain representative defect-free signals, by using a modified smallest half-volume (MSHV) approach. Results obtained using this approach suggest that self-calibrating blind detection of cyclic fatigue cracks in second layer wing structures in the presence of ferrous fasteners is possible without prior knowledge of the sample under test and without the use of costly calibration standards. (author)