Integrated System for Monitoring Aircraft Structural Condition by Using the Strain Gauge Marks Method

This study emphasizes the importance of aircraft structural condition monitoring and, furthermore, on the analysis of the aging process of military aircraft structural constitutive materials, during flight. Nowadays, aircraft are predominantly built from composite materials with at least two layers with different mechanical properties, which combined, result in a new composite material with highly superior resilience and elastic properties. This paper has its focus on improving the process of monitoring the structural condition of highly maneuverable military jet aircraft by using the strain gauge marks methods. As a result of the continuous research and testing, it has been proved that the operational resource of the aircraft structure, provided by the manufacturer, can be easily reached in a lot lesser flight hours than initially anticipated, by engaging the aircraft in specific operational missions and, therefore, inflicting pronounced fatigue on the aircraft structure.