Validation of Integrity Control on CMC Heat Shingle

Within phase 1 of an ESA supported study an integrity control concept for CMC manufactured structures has been created. Specially adapted design criteria have been set up and non-destructive inspection (NDI) methods have been considered in order to detect defects before these might cause catastrophic failures.

Within phase II of the study particular attention has been focused on a typical reference thermostructural subcomponent, namely a C/SiC heat shingle.

Several shingles have been produced, two of them were investigated by verification tests: an acoustic noise test, thermomechanical cycles and a pressure test up to rupture.

Finally, different non-destructive inspection (NDI)-methods and micrographic analyses have been applied. These are in good correspondence with analysis predictions and give additional knowledge about the type of failures in the ruptured areas.