Nuclear quadrupole resonance system and method for structural health monitoring

US8232801B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• General Electric Company · US

Inventors

• Nilesh Tralshawala · Rexford, US
• Thomas Alan Early · Clifton Park, US
• William Dixon · Clifton Park, US
• Waseem Ibrahim Faidi · Clifton Park, US
• Thomas Miebach · Ballston Spa, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 30, 2011
• Grant date: Jul 31, 2012
• Expiry date: Jun 30, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/441
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Structural health monitoring using nuclear quadrupole resonance is disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, a method of monitoring stress is provided. The method includes scanning a composite using an NQR spectrometer, the composite having a polymer matrix and a microcrystalline material disposed in the matrix. The microcrystalline material includes molecules having nuclei with respective nuclear quadrupole moments. The method also includes determining microscopic strain distribution indices of the composite from the NQR scans to quantify stress and identify precursors to failure in the composite.