The identification of defects and irregularities in the materials of safety-critical infrastructure and components is vital, as any undetected issues can propagate over time, compromising structural integrity, reducing operational lifespans and increasing the likelihood of failures. The challenge is to test and monitor materials, components and structures for defects without damaging them – a need that is effectively addressed by NDT, in situ condition monitoring and larger-scale structural health monitoring.
This eBook outlines a wide range of analytical techniques that can be harnessed for NDT and condition monitoring. NDT is used to detect and quantify manufacturing and in-service defects – from on-line production quality control through to operational inspection and lifetime management – across a wide range of sectors, including rail, nuclear, automotive, aerospace, marine and many other engineering applications. It is complemented by condition monitoring of large structures – such as railway tunnels – to identify defects at the earliest opportunity, allowing corrective action to be taken before a problem progresses. This helps to extend the lifespans of critical components and infrastructure in even the harshest environments.
NPL is perfectly placed to help you navigate the complexities of NDT and structural health monitoring, offering state-of-the-art facilities and numerous sensing, imaging and other surface analysis techniques. This is supported by extensive expertise in assessing the quality and structural health of materials, components and structures.