VITCEA

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The Project Consortium

The VITCEA consortium brings together the expertise of leading European NMIs with extensive capabilities and experience in FRP composites and NDI metrology. The core research to be addressed by project VITCEA will be undertaken by NPL, BAM, PTB and CMI, each with a substantial capability in their respective areas. The project is coordinated by NPL, which has significant experience in managing international research and development projects. The project structure has been arranged carefully to maximise impact and avoid duplication of work.

Of the participating NMIs:

• NPL will bring expertise in microwave and full-field strain mapping inspection techniques, as well as innovative dissemination capability in the form of online training (e-Learning). NPL will also bring significant experience in the production of Good Practice Guides, drafting of standards (20+ in FRPs) and intercomparison exercises for obtaining precision data.
• BAM will contribute experimental and modelling expertise in phased array and air coupled ultrasonics, and active thermography inspection,
• PTB will bring expertise in thermal and optical property measurements for FRP composites and modelling of microwave propagation in anisotropic materials,
• CMI will bring expertise in the measurement of in-plane and out-of-plane thermal properties for FRP composites.

In January 2015, the project will be joined by the Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) as an integral REG. CEA will contribute state-of-the-art modelling capability (CIVA software) that will be used to simulate and guide experimental assessment of POD for ultrasonic inspection and enhance the ultrasonic modelling at BAM by addressing the effects of curvature and attenuation in thick FRP components. They will also assist in the calculation of POD curves using experimental and theoretical data for microwave, active thermography and laser shearography techniques.

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