Methods and apparatus to prevent failures of fiber-reinforced composite materials under compressive stresses caused by fluids and gases invading microfractures in the materials

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are described to use real-time measurement systems to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing of fiber-reinforced composite materials. Measurements are described to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing of fiber-reinforced composite materials to prevent catastrophic failures of aircraft components containing such materials. Methods and apparatus are described to prevent fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures by coating surfaces of fiber-reinforced materials to reduce the probability of failure of such fiber-reinforced materials.

Claims

1. A real time electronics measurement system to assess failure of a portion of an aircraft made at least in part with fiber reinforced composite material comprising, measurement means fabricated within the wing and wing-box portion of an aircraft to detect the invasion of fluids and gases into compression induced microfractures of the fiber-reinforced composite materials, communication means for outputting data generated by the measurement means, and a remote receiver for receiving the data output.

2. The real time electronics measurement system of claim 1, wherein the remote receiver comprises at least one of a computer and hand held device.

3. The real time electronics measurement system of claim 1, wherein the communication means transmits data to the receiver by at least one of radio frequency, cellular and Wi-Fi.

4. The real time electronics measurement system of claim 1, wherein the data output from the communication means includes an alarm.

5. The real time electronics measurement system of claim 1, further comprising a communications module that is programmable to automatically initiate transmission of data to at least one remote receiver by the communication means following arrival of the aircraft at an airport.

6. A real time electronics measurement system comprising, measurement means to measure the differential resistivity of fiber reinforced composite materials fabricated within the wing and wing-box portion of an aircraft to detect the invasion of fluids and gases into compression induced microfractures of said fiber-reinforced composite materials, communication means for outputting data generated by the measurement means, and a remote receiver for receiving the data output of the communication means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows an aircraft having substantial fiber-reinforced materials, such as a Boeing 787.

(2) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of how the right and left wings are attached to the center wing box, and an embodiment of the distribution of sensor array systems in a portion of the fiber-reinforced composite materials particularly subject to compressive stresses.

(3) FIG. 3 shows the upper right wing connection apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 2 which connects the upper right wing to the mating portion of the upper right center wing box.

(4) FIG. 4 shows modifications to the upper right wing connection apparatus of the embodiment of FIG. 2 which connects the upper right wing to the mating portion of the upper center wing box.

(5) FIG. 5 shows one embodiment of a real time electronics system measurement means fabricated within a portion of an aircraft made of fiber-reinforced composite materials to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing.

(6) FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of a real time electronics system measurement means particularly suited for a laboratory demonstration of the measurement principles applied in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) The fiber-reinforced wings and wing boxes of Boeing 787's are described very well in an article in The Seattle Times, dated Jul. 30, 2009, entitled Double trouble for Boeing 787 wing by Dominic Gates, that appears on the front page and on A8, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. That article provided several colored drawings showing the then existing wings and wing box assemblies, and the then proposed reinforcement of those assemblies.

(8) Some aspects of FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 herein are based on the information provided in that Jul. 30, 2009 article in The Seattle Times. Applicant is grateful for that information.

(9) FIG. 1 shows an airplane 2 having substantial quantities of fiber-reinforced composite materials, that has a right wing 4 (when viewed standing in front of airplane 2), left wing 6, and center wing box 8. The wings and wing boxes are substantially fabricated from fiber-reinforced materials. In the Jul. 30, 2009 article, the airplane sketched was the Boeing 787. It should be appreciated that the inventions disclosed herein are not limited to the Boeing 787 nor to wings and wing boxes, but are applicable to any structure comprising fiber-reinforced materials.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a cross section view of the center wing box 8 in fuselage 10, having its top skin 12 and bottom skin 14, its top stringers 16, and its bottom stringers 18. Wing 6 has its top wing skin 20, bottom wing skin 22, its top stringers 24, and its bottom stringers 26. Wing 4 has its top wing skin 28, its bottom wing skin 30, its top stringers 32, and bottom stringers 34. Left wing connection apparatus 36 connects the left wing 6 to the mating portion of the center wing box. Upper right wing connection apparatus 38 connects the right wing 4 to the mating portion of the center wing box.

(11) FIG. 3 shows an expanded version of the upper right wing connection apparatus 38. Many of the various elements have already been identified above. In addition, the right-hand wall of the fuselage 40 is coupled to the center wing box 8 and to the right wing 4 by parts 42, 44, and 46. High stress points 48 and 50 were identified as being related to the failures of the wings and the center wing junction box during the tests described in the article dated Jul. 30, 2010.

(12) In FIG. 4, the modifications described in the article dated Jul. 30, 2010 are shown. U-shaped cutouts in the stringers 52 and 54 are shown, along with the addition of fastener bolts 56 and 58. Element 38A shows an expanded version of the upper right wing connection apparatus that has been modified.

(13) Referring again to FIG. 2, lower left-wing connection apparatus 100 and lower right-wing connection apparatus 102 are areas which are in substantial compression. So, in these areas, the fiber-reinforced materials are in substantial compression. Consequently, sensor array systems 104, 106, 108, and 110 are shown as being placed in areas subject to substantial compressive forces applied to the fiber-reinforced composite materials. These sensor array systems are monitored to determine if microfractures are being produced, and to determine if fluids and gases are invading any such microfractures in the materials.

(14) Information from the sensor arrays are sent via wires such as 112 through wing box to fuselage connector 114 to monitoring instrumentation 116. That monitoring instrumentation may be in the fuselage, or external to the fuselage, or may be connected by a wireless communications link. Power to any measurement devices in the sensor array systems are provided by wires such as 112. By sensor array is meant to include means to make a change to the materials (such as the conduction of electricity) and the measurement of a parameter (such as a change in resistance or resistivity of the materials).

(15) To avoid fluid invasion problems, in several preferred embodiments, real-time measurement systems are described to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing. So, not only would stress and strain be measured in live-time, but also whether or not fluids and gases have invaded the microfractures. In other preferred embodiments, the electrical resistivity between adjacent laminated sections is used as a convenient way to determine if there has been invasion of conductive fluids (such as salt water) into the microfractures. Extraordinarily precise differential measurements may be made of such resistivity, and the applicant has had many years of experience in such measurements during the development of the Through Casing Resistivity Tool. In other preferred embodiments, precise differential measurements are made in real-time of various dielectric properties that will allow the detection of non-conductive fluids and gases. In other embodiments, undue swelling of the composites are also directly measured with sensors that will give an advance indication of potential catastrophic failures due to fluid and/or gas invasion. In many embodiments, the sensors themselves are integrated directly into the composite materials during manufacture. In some embodiments, the existing carbon fibers already present may be used. Accordingly, there are many live-time measurements that we can use to prevent catastrophic failures.

(16) Yet other embodiments of the invention provide inspection techniques based on measurements to determine invasion of fluids and gases into the composite materials is clearly needed.

(17) A preferred embodiment of the invention describes a method to use real-time measurement systems to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing of fiber-reinforced composite materials. In a preferred embodiment, the real-time measurement systems measure the electrical resistivity between different portions of the fiber-reinforced composite materials.

(18) In selected embodiments, changes in time of electrical resistivity between different portions of the fiber-reinforced composite materials are used to determine the invasion of conductive fluids into the microfractures of the fiber-reinforced composite materials. In several preferred embodiments, fiber-reinforced composite materials comprise a portion of an umbilical in a subterranean wellbore that conducts electricity through insulated wires to an electric drilling machine. In other preferred embodiments, the fiber-reinforced composite materials comprise a portion of a Boeing 787 wing, 787 wing box assembly, and any combination thereof. The invention applies to fiber-reinforced composite materials used in any portion of an airplane.

(19) In other preferred embodiments, the real-time measurement systems measure dielectric properties between different portions of fiber-reinforced composite materials.

(20) In selected embodiments, changes in time of measured dielectric properties between different portions of the fiber-reinforced composite materials are used to determine the invasion of fluids and gases into the microfractures of said fiber-reinforced composite materials. In selected preferred embodiments, these methods are used to monitor fiber-reinforced composite materials that comprise a portion of an umbilical in a subterranean wellbore. In other selected embodiments, the methods and apparatus are used to monitor fiber-reinforced composite materials comprise a portion of a Boeing 787 wing, 787 wing box assembly, and any combination thereof, or any other portion of fiber-reinforced composite materials comprising any portion of an airplane.

(21) Selected preferred embodiments of the invention provide methods and apparatus wherein substantial portions of the real-time measurement systems are fabricated within the fiber-reinforced composite materials. In selected preferred embodiments, changes in time of measured properties are used to determine the invasion of fluids and gases into the microfractures of the fiber-reinforced composite materials.

(22) In selected embodiments, measurement means are provided to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing of fiber-reinforced composite materials to prevent catastrophic failures of aircraft components containing such materials.

(23) In other preferred embodiments, the measurement means further includes means to detect and measure the volume of fluids and gases that have invaded the microfractures in the fiber-reinforced composite materials.

(24) In yet another preferred embodiment, methods and apparatus are provided to prevent fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures of fiber-reinforced materials to reduce the probability of failure of such materials. Such methods and apparatus include special coating materials that coat fabricated fiber-reinforced materials, wherein such special materials are defined to be a coating material means. Such methods and apparatus further includes a coating material means is used to coat fiber-reinforced composite materials in visually inaccessible areas of airplanes. Such methods and apparatus further include special materials incorporated within the fiber-reinforced materials that are hydrophilic (tend to repel water). Such methods and apparatus further include special materials incorporated within the fiber-reinforced materials that absorb during a chemical reaction that produces a new portion of the matrix material in the fiber-reinforced composite material. Such methods and apparatus further includes special materials incorporated within the fiber-reinforced materials that absorb gases. Such methods and apparatus yet further includes self-healing substances designed to fill any such microfractures in the fiber-reinforced materials. Such methods and apparatus yet further include self-healing substances whereby at least one component of the matrix material used to make the fiber-reinforced composite material. Such matrix material may be comprised of at least an epoxy resin material and a hardener component. The self-healing substance may further include a hardener component designed to set-up slowly over a period in excess of one year.

(25) Another preferred embodiment of the invention includes methods and apparatus wherein predetermined compressional stresses induce a chemical reaction within a special material fabricated within the fiber-reinforced composite material that prevents fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures of fiber-reinforced materials to reduce the probability of failure of such materials. In several preferred embodiments, such predetermined compressional stresses induce a structural phase transition within a special material fabricated within the fiber-reinforced composite material that prevents fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures of fiber-reinforced materials to reduce the probability of failure of such materials.

(26) Further embodiments include methods and apparatus wherein at least a portion of the fiber-reinforced composite material is exposed to a relatively high-pressure inert gas which slowly diffuses through other portions of the fiber-reinforced composite material to prevent other fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures of the fiber-reinforced material to reduce the probability of failure of the material. The inert gas can include dry nitrogen. Such methods and apparatus apply to any portion of a fiber-reinforced material that is comprised of at least one channel within said fiber-reinforce composite material.

(27) Yet other preferred embodiments provide additional special fibers that are added during the manufacturing process of a standard fiber-reinforced composite material to make a new special fiber-reinforced material to prevent fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures of said special fiber-reinforced material to reduce the probability of failure of said special fiber-reinforced material. Such special fibers include fibers comprised of titanium. Such special fibers include fibers comprised of any alloy containing titanium.

(28) Other embodiments provide special fibers that are added during the manufacturing process of a standard fiber-reinforced composite material to make a new special fiber-reinforced material to reduce the probability of the formation of stress-induced microfractures in said material. Such special fibers include fibers comprised of titanium. Such special fibers include fibers comprised of any alloy containing titanium.

(29) Other preferred embodiments provide methods and apparatus to isolate the wing boxes of composite aircraft from environmental liquids, such as water, and from environmental gases, such as jet exhaust to reduce the probability of failure of such materials. Such methods and apparatus include means to prevent fluids and gases from invading any compression induced microfractures through any coated surfaces of fiber-reinforced materials to reduce the probability of failure of such fiber-reinforced materials.

(30) Other selected embodiments of the invention incorporate the relevant different types of physical measurements defined in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/270,709, filed Jul. 9, 2010, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. For example, such physical measurements include acoustic transmitters and receivers, ultrasonic transmitters and receivers, phased array ultrasonics, thermosonics, air coupled ultrasonics, acoustic resonance techniques, x-ray techniques, radiography, thermal wave imaging, thermography and shearography. These cited physical measurements, and selected additional physical measurements described in the References incorporated into this document, may be used to make the basic sensors of a real time electronics system measurement means fabricated within a portion of an aircraft made of fiber-reinforced composite materials to detect the onset of compression induced micro-fracturing of said fiber-reinforced composite materials to prevent the catastrophic failure of said portion of said aircraft.

(31) Reference is made to the article entitled Nondestructive Inspection of Composite Structures: Methods and Practice by David K. Hsu, 17th World Conference on Nondestructive Testing, 25-28 Oct. 2008, Shanghai, China, an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. This is a review article of methods and apparatus to inspect composite materials and will be hereinafter abbreviated as Hsu, 2008.

(32) Many non-destructive tests are reviewed, which include water- and air-coupled ultrasound bond testing, manual and automated tap testing, thermography, and shearography (hereinafter collectively, standard techniques).

(33) In the case of one of the mechanisms described herein, composite materials under compression in or near the wing box ingest or soak-up water, jet fuel, etc. and are subject to a catastrophic delimitation.

(34) The interior portion of the wing box is very hard to access. Some portions subject to testing are deep into the wing, significant distances from the outer skin of the aircraft. The interior portion of the wing box is not subject to any external visual inspection from outside the aircraft. Nor will any of the standard techniques noted above work to determine the failure mechanism described herein on an interior portion of the wing box from outside the aircraft.

(35) An individual can access some areas of the interior portion of the wing box from inside the wing. There are crawl spaces. Some hand-held inspection tools, such as a hand-held tap tester, or hand-held acoustic device, could be used by an individual to inspect certain portions of the interior portion of the wing box. But, the sensitivity of these are severely limited.

(36) In Section 4.3 of Hsu, 2008, the article talks about sensitivities . . . as small as 3 mm () diameter can be detected . . . . This is a pretty large hole and not sensitive enough to determine the presence or absence of microfractures of the type produced by the mechanism described herein.

(37) In addition, reference is made to an article in USA Today, entitled Signs of pre-existing fatigue found on Southwest aircraft, by Roger Yu, Apr. 4, 2011 (the USA Today Article), an entire copy of which is incorporated herein by reference. The USA Today Article states in part: The FAA said it no longer believes airplanes can fly forever, Goldfarb said. They have life limits. And because of extensive fatigue, airlines need to retire them at a limit. (The FAA) thinks just (having) inspection is not enough. These cracks can propagate quickly.

(38) The USA Today Article further states in part: In justifying the new rules, the FAA said, Existing inspection methods do not reliably detect widespread fatigue damage because cracks are initially so small and may then link up and grow so rapidly that the affected structure fails before an inspection can be performed to detect the cracks.

(39) So, even after many years of flying, and after much study, the FAA concludes that they do not have a good way to determine what is going to happen on a given aircraft by using present inspection techniques. Please note the first above quote from the USA Today Article implies that cracks are to be expected. Furthermore, microcracks are apparently common in aluminumwhich are, by analogy, just the type of microcracks in composites that can result in the failure mechanism described herein.

(40) In the second above quote from the USA Today Article, microcracks may link up and grow very rapidly, a phenomenon which might be called swarming of microcracks for the purposes herein. If such swarming occurs, and fluids such as water, jet fuel, etc. invade the structure, the composite can catastrophically fail within a short period of time. This is one mechanism described herein.

(41) None of the standard techniques noted above are adequate to monitor the failure mechanism described herein. However, resistivity measurements are cited herein as having the resolution to detect and monitor this problem.

(42) Accordingly, another preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. That FIG. 5 shows a Differential Form of a Four Point Resistivity Measurement generally identified with numeral 202. This type of measurement is particularly sensitive and immune to electromagnetic interference. Some engineers also call it a Four Point Resistance Measurement provided the physical dimensions are defined to turn the resistance measured into resistivity. The measurement is being performed on a material 204 that is a fiber-reinforced composite material such as that found in a wing or wing box of a Boeing 787. Such a fiber-reinforced material also includes materials identified as a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer material of the type used in an Airbus A350 wing or wing box. The material 204 has a surface that is defined as SURFACE OF COMPOSITE UNDER TEST, which legend is defined in FIG. 5.

(43) In FIG. 5, electrical current generation means 206 is used to generate electrical current identified with the legend I in FIG. 5. That electrical current I is passed between current conducting electrode A and current conducting electrode B through material 204, legends further identified on FIG. 5. The current conducting circuit shown is completed with insulated wire 208.

(44) In FIG. 5, voltage measurement electrodes C, D, and E are in electrical contact with material 204, which legends are defined in FIG. 5. Current passing between current conducting electrodes A and B will generate a voltage difference V1 between voltage measurement electrodes C and D, which legend V1 is defined in FIG. 5. Current passing between current conducting electrodes A and B will also generate a voltage difference V2 between voltage measurement electrodes D and E, which legend V2 is defined in FIG. 5.

(45) The voltages V1 and V2 are provided to the respective inputs 210, 212, and 214 of processing electronics 216. The inputs are not shown in FIG. 5 for clarity, but would be understood by those of skill in the art. Processing electronics 216 provides detection, amplification, logical processing, and other electronics to provide an output voltage V3, a legend identified in FIG. 5. The output voltage V3 is given by the following:
V3=S1.Math.K1.Math.(R2R1)Equation 1.
In Equation 1, K1 is a proportionality constant that converts resistance to resistivity units appropriate for the geometry of the various defined electrodes in electrical contact with material 204. It should be noted that resistance is normally measured in ohms, and resistivity has the units of ohm-meters. The parameter S1 is an amplification factor sometimes helpful to overcome environmental noise.

(46) Voltage V3 is proportional to the difference in resistance between R2 and R1. The difference in resistance can be measured to many decimal pointssix is typical. The inventor has previously done such measurements to an accuracy of eleven decimal places.

(47) The voltage V3 is provided to an input of communications electronics module 218. The input 220 of communications module 218 and the insulated wire 222 carrying voltage V3 are not shown in FIG. 5 for the purposes of clarity but would be understood by those of skill in the art.

(48) In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 5, communications module 218 provides the data including V3 to a remote Receiver Unit (224not shown in FIG. 5) but understood by those of skill in the art. The communication module 218 provides the data via radio frequency communications 226 that is further identified with legend DATA OUT=RF in FIG. 5.

(49) Power supply 228 provides electrical power to electrical current generation means 206 via insulated wire 230. Power supply 228 also provides electrical power to processing module 216 via insulated wire 232 (numeral not shown in FIG. 5). Power supply 228 also provides electrical power to communications module 218 via insulated wire 233 (numeral not shown in FIG. 5).

(50) In this particular preferred embodiment of the invention, power supply 228 obtains its power from an AC magnetic field identified by the legend POWER IN=60 HZ AC MAGNETIC FIELD in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the AC Magnetic Field is provided by a remote Power Transmitter Unit 236 (which numeral is not shown in FIG. 5 but would be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art). The AC Magnetic field generated by remote Power Transmitter Unit 236 is intercepted by insulated coil of wire 238. The changing AC Magnetic Field induces a voltage in the insulated coil of wire 238 and is used to provide electrical power to power supply 228. In several embodiments of the invention, a battery is included within power supply 228 to store energy received from the remote Power Transmitter Unit 236 that in turn may be used to power elements 206, 216 and 226 in FIG. 5 when the Power Transmitter Unit is not nearby (such as during flight of an aircraft).

(51) The electronic elements, including the current conducting electrodes, the voltage measurement electrodes, elements 206, 216, 218, 228, 230, 238, any electrical conductors required, the remote Power Transmitter Unit 236, and remote Receiver Unit 224 are defined for the purposes herein as a real time electronics measurement system means 240 to provide Differential Four Point Resistivity Measurements of the material 204 under test. The various components of the electronics means 240 may be incorporated within the body of the material 204, or on a surface of the material identified by the legend previously described, or any combination thereof in various embodiments.

(52) As stated before, the electrical current generation means 206 generates the electrical current identified with the legend I in FIG. 5. The electrical current I may be chosen to be DC, AC, DC plus AC, or may have an arbitrary function in time. There are advantages to each choice. Depending on the choice, the resulting voltages V1, V2, and V3 will be DC, AC, DC plus AC, or may have an arbitrary function in time.

(53) DC current may be the simplest to implement, but may be subject to adverse noise problems. AC is a good choice, and phase sensitive detection methods may be used to enhance the signal and reduce the effect of any noise present. (For example, see Section 15.15 entitled Lock-in detection in the book entitled The Art of Electronics by Horowitz and Winfield identified in the References hereto.) The DC plus AC has some advantages of both. If the current is chosen to have an arbitrary function in time, signal averaging or signal stacking techniques may be used to enhance the signal and reduce the noise. (For example, see Section 15.13 entitled Signal averaging and multichannel averaging in the book entitled The Art of Electronics previously mentioned in this paragraph.)

(54) In a particularly simple approach, the voltage from just one pair V1 can be measured to extract some information especially if combined with phase sensitive detection methods and or signal averaging methods as appropriate.

(55) FIG. 6 shows an experimental arrangement 250 perhaps most suited in a laboratory environment to convey the principles related to the above defined measurement apparatus. A particular sample 252 is a COMPOSITE UNDER TEST, a legend defined in FIG. 6. The current supply 254 provides current I to current conducting electrodes A and B. Voltage measurement electrodes C, D, and E are in electrical contact with the COMPOSITE UNDER TEST 252. Differential amplifiers 256, 258, and 260 provide output voltage V3. In this case, the output voltage V3 is given by:
V3=S2.Math.K2.Math.(R2R1)Equation 2.
In Equation 2, S2 is the appropriate proportionality constant that converts resistance to resistivity units, and S2 is the appropriate overall amplification of the system. FIG. 6 shows a laboratory version of a real time electronics system measurement means 262 to provide Differential Four Point Resistivity Measurements of the material 204 under test. Similar comments made in relation to FIG. 5 for using DC, AC, DC plus AC, and arbitrary waveforms also apply to the current I in FIG. 6.

(56) It is appropriate to return again to FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is a monolithic assembly in contact with the composite. In another embodiment, it is sealed against the surface of the composite under test. In yet another embodiment, it is simply epoxied in place. In another embodiment, an inspector applying a magnetic field from outside the skin of the aircraft, will prompt the device to measure V3 and those results are sent to a receiver box on the exterior of the aircraft (not shown). In another embodiment, the results are sent to a receiver box on the interior of the aircraft (not shown). In various different embodiments, the results can be sent to any selected location (not shown). Furthermore, from such a selected location, the results can be further relayed to other specific locations by suitable communications systems (not shown) as would be appreciated by those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure.

(57) So, the apparatus can be retrofitted onto a wing box of a 787 by a worker crawling through the crawl space. No extra wires are used to power the apparatus. The apparatus in FIG. 5 does have the sensitivity to detect changes in the microfractures within the composite and the presence of fluids such as water or jet fuel. Such monitoring can be used to prevent the catastrophic failure of composites within the wing box region of the 787. Similar comments apply to other composite structures within the 787 or other aircraft having composite structures such as the Airbus 350.

(58) In yet other embodiments of the invention, it is not necessary to have the solenoid poweredbattery combination. Rather, in analogy with some old-time wrist watches that needed no winding, a motion powered generator can be made a part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 5. For example, a small round magnet rolling around in a cavity surrounded with pick-up coils can be used to generate power and charge the battery.

(59) Different embodiments of the apparatus in FIG. 5 can perform and store its measurements periodically. After the plane has landed, a hand-held Reader outside the aircraft can then send an RF signal to a receiver coil in the device to Start Read. The RF transmitter can then send RF to the hand-held Reader that receives the data. The hand-held Reader can then be connected wirelessly to a remote computer. The Reader in this paragraph is another embodiment of the Receiver Unit described above.

(60) In another embodiment of the invention, the apparatus shown in FIG. 5 is provided with cell phone-like receiver and transmitter capabilities. After the plane is parked, a call from an external computer to the on-board cell phone is used to Start Read. Then, data is communicated to the computer that made the callusing tone's for digits in one embodiment. Tones will work here in one embodiment because not much data is involved in particularly simple embodiments of the invention.

(61) In yet another embodiment of the invention, and if the aircraft itself supports cell phone calls at any location world-wide, then the aircraft supported cell phone network can be used to Start Read and to download the data seamlessly, anywhere in the world, all the time, any time. With such a network, the apparatus in FIG. 5 can be programmed to wake up and send an alarm if the data shows there is a problem.

(62) In yet other embodiments of the invention, similar comments apply to Wi-Fi networks or any other communication networks which aircraft support now and into the future.

(63) For example, one preferred embodiment the following steps are executed:

(64) a. select a portion of the wing box for monitoring;

(65) b. epoxy the measurement apparatus to the portion of the wing box;

(66) c. when the plane lands, the results will be automatically sent by auto-dialing to a cell phone number.

(67) In yet other embodiments, the electrical power and the communications to the measurement apparatus may be made by conventional wiring to aircraft wiring bus. In such case, methods and apparatus defined in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/849,585, filed on Jan. 29, 2013 (PPA-101), and in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/850,095, filed on Feb. 9, 2013 (PPA-102), and in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/850,774, filed on Feb. 22, 2013 (PPA-103) may be used to minimize undesirable effects of Groundloops on the measurement apparatus. Entire copies of these three U.S. Provisional Patent Applications have been previously incorporated in their entirety herein by reference.

REFERENCES

Patent Literature

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(70) The book entitled Developments in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (Frp) Composites for Civil Engineering, part of the Woodhead Publishing Series in Civil and Structural Engineering, by Nasim Uddin, ISBN 9780857092342.

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(74) While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplification of preferred embodiments thereto. As have been briefly described, there are many possible variations. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not only by the embodiments illustrated, but by any appended claims and their legal equivalents that will eventually issue in a relevant patent or patents.