Development of Automated Structural Health Monitoring for Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels

Virtually all NASA spacecraft use composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) to reduce the weight disadvantage of metal pressure vessels. However, these composite structures are more susceptible to damage than metal PVs, are difficult to inspect, have large burst pressure variability, and are susceptible to stress rupture when maintained at pressure. Over the past few years, NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) has developed novel analysis methods that show promise for assessing the structural health of composite overwrapped pressure vessels. These methods and industry standard methods have been integrated into specialized software for automated analysis, thus significantly increasing throughput to the point where real-time assessments of structural health may be determined. Adaptive analysis methods have also been developed to provide modal analyses at specified points in a structure's life, including loading, unloading, and dwells. Together, these enhancements increase the utility and ease of use for acoustic emission testing.