Prediction of Remaining Useful Life of Rotorcraft Structures with a Fiber-Optic-Based Sensing System and a Unified Damage Mechanism-Based Model Navy STTR FY2014.A Sol No.: Navy STTR FY2014.A Topic No.: N14A-T002 Topic Title: Prediction of Remaining Useful Life of Rotorcraft Structures with a Fiber-Optic-Based Sensing System and a Unified Damage Mechanism-Based Model Proposal No.: N14A-002-0205 Firm: Intelligent Fiber Optic Systems Corporation 2363 Calle Del Mundo Santa Clara, California 95054-1008 Contact: Vahid Sotoudeh Phone: (408) 565-8528 Web Site: www.ifos.com Abstract: IFOS proposes to develop a fiber-optic-based sensing system and a unified damage mechanism model utilizing an integrated fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor system for prediction of remaining useful life of rotorcraft structures. The proposed new rotorcraft damage modeling technique makes it possible to incorporate temperature and acoustic emission (AE) measurements with load tracking techniques for the assessment of accumulated fatigue damage and remaining useful life without requiring prior history or data. The high sensitivity, high accuracy, state-of-the-art FBG sensors will be capable of real-time rotorcraft load tracking, temperature and AE measurements. Such a system is capable of measuring low (Hz) and high (hundreds of kHz) frequency responses that may be explored for detection of incipient damage. In Phase I the IFOS research team will implement such FBGs as ultrasonic sensors to be surface-mounted on the structure-under-test in a fashion facilitating installation and operation in the field. Advanced signal processing and physics-based fatigue damage modeling algorithms, as well as computer models of rotorcraft structures, will be applied for simulation purposes. In Phase II a prototype of an autonomous onboard Integrated Hybrid Structural Monitoring System (IHSMS) will be developed. Benefits: All aircraft have dynamic components that are subject to fatigue damage, although the rate of damage may differ depending on the loading. The model can be used on any aircraft, military or commercial, to determine the remaining life of a specific component so that it can be serviced before a failure occurs. Return