UpDate - Vol. 12, No. 32, Page 10
May 20, 1993
Researchers receive URI grant

     Two University of Delaware researchers have received a University
Research Initiative (URI) grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific
Research (AFOSR).
     Fadil Santosa, professor of mathematical sciences, and Ian Hall,
associate professor of mechanical engineering and chairperson of the
Materials Science Program, are co-principal investigators for
"Nondestructive Evaluation of Corrosion-Damaged Structures."
     The project is funded at $420,000 over three years and will be carried
out in collaboration with two researchers from Rutgers University.
     According to Hall, the work was motivated by the Air Force's interest
in determining the condition of aging aircraft. Aluminum, believed to be
relatively free of corrosion problems, holds up well over a 10- to 15-year
lifetime but begins to deteriorate under the extended service conditions
now expected of aircraft. The fundamental research conducted under this
program will support the ultimate goals of the Air Force to develop
practical, nondestructive evaluation instruments to detect hidden corrosion
and passive sensors for in-situ corrosion detection that would signify the
need to replace corroded parts before failure actually occurs.
     The researchers will use a method called electrical impedance
tomography, which uses measurements of electrical currents on the boundary
of a structure to determine its interior properties. The technique is now
used for imaging in the oil industry and the medical field. The
interdisciplinary research consists of mathematical modeling, laboratory
experiments and computer code development. The aim is to generate data and
experience for design of inspection tools for aircraft maintenance.
     The two join a growing group of University of Delaware researchers
with URI funding. Early in 1992, announcement was made of four other
initiatives here that had won major grants through the program.
     The multi-agency URI program is designed to provide new knowledge in
science and engineering critical to defense technologies, to improve the
quality of defense research conducted at universities and to strengthen the
numbers and quality of students trained in science and engineering.
                                        -Diane S. Kukich