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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2010

Comparisons Between Stability Prediction and Measurements for the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor

The Space Transportation System has used the solid rocket boosters for lift-off and ascent propulsion over the history of the program. Part of the structural loads assessment of the assembled vehicle is the contribution due to solid rocket booster thrust oscillations. These thrust oscillations are a consequence of internal motor pressure oscillations active during operation. Understanding of these pressure oscillations is key to predicting the subsequent thrust oscillations and vehicle loading. The pressure oscillation characteristics of the Reusable Solid Rocket Motor (RSRM) design are reviewed in this work. Dynamic pressure data from the static test and flight history are shown, with emphasis on amplitude, frequency, and timing of the oscillations. Physical mechanisms that cause these oscillations are described by comparing data observations to predictions made by the Solid Stability Prediction (SSP) code.

Fischbach, Sean R.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview of the Material Response Code Icarus

Icarus is a material response code capable of modeling the in-depth heat transfer for multi-dimensional, ablative and non-ablative thermal protection systems. Since the initial release of Icarus, several improvements have been made to increase the robustness, performance, and modeling capability of the tool. This paper will review the capabilities of Icarus, discuss results from recent validation exercises highlighting current modeling capability, and summarize the current and future development efforts.

material response↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Historical Overview of International Space Station Extravehicular Activity Meteoroid and Orbital Debris Risk

Nearly 300 spacewalks have been conducted over the last 25 years to help build and maintain the International Space Station (ISS). During the nearly 2,000 hours of extra-vehicular activity (EVA), crew members wear extra-vehicular mobility unit (EMU) “spacesuits” to mitigate hazards of the space environment including impacts from meteoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) particles. NASA includes detailed EMU MMOD risk analyses as part of the ISS EVA review and approval process. This paper provides a general historical overview of the ISS EVA MMOD risks and the associated risk assessment process. The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) Team produces the ISS EVA MMOD risk analyses using the Bumper3 MMOD risk analysis code in conjunction with detailed information about the EVA including crew-member EVA work sites, crew translation paths, suit orientation, and duration. Detailed physical models of the EMU spacesuits and the ISS are included and tailored for each EVA analysis. Two types of MMOD risk are included: (1) Penetration, and (2) Catastrophic. Penetration risk is for any size leak in the EMU suit. Catastrophic risk is a subset of Penetration Risk and only includes penetrations that cause a 4mm diameter hole (or larger) in the inner “bladder” layer of the EMU suit. This size hole will exceed the ability of the EMU suit to compensate. The MMOD risk analyses also utilize the latest orbital debris environment and meteoroid environment models including additional transient factors to account for recent satellite break-ups and annual meteor storms. These additional factors and the associated increase in EVA MMOD risk are considered when scheduling an EVA to reduce EMU MMOD risk.

Dana M. Lear↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Review of International Space Station Extravehicular Activity Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris Risk

Nearly 300 spacewalks have been conducted over the last 25 years to support the construction and maintenance of the International Space Station (ISS). During the nearly 2,000 hours of extra-vehicular activity (EVA), crew wore extra-vehicular mobility unit (EMU) “spacesuits” to help mitigate hazards of the space environment including impacts from micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) particles. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducts detailed EMU MMOD risk analyses as part of the ISS EVA review and approval process. This paper provides a general historical overview of the ISS EVA MMOD risks and the associated risk assessment process. The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) Team produces the ISS EVA MMOD risk analyses using the Bumper MMOD risk analysis code in conjunction with detailed information about the EVA including crew member EVA work sites, crew translation paths, suit orientation, and durations. Detailed physical models of the EMU spacesuit and the ISS are included and tailored for each EVA analysis. Two types of MMOD risk are included: (1) Penetration, and (2) Catastrophic. Penetration risk is for any size leak in the EMU suit. Catastrophic risk is a subset of Penetration Risk and only includes penetrations that cause a 4mm diameter hole (or larger) in the pressure-maintaining “bladder” layer of the EMU suit. This size hole will exceed the ability of the EMU suit to compensate. The MMOD risk analyses also utilize the latest orbital debris environment and meteoroid environment models including additional transient factors to account for recent satellite break-ups and annual meteor storms. These additional factors and the associated increase in EVA MMOD risk are considered when scheduling EVAs to reduce EMU MMOD risk.

Dana M. Lear↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Review of International Space Station Extravehicular Activity Micrometeoroid and Orbital Debris Risk

Nearly 300 spacewalks have been conducted over the last 25 years to support the construction and maintenance of the International Space Station (ISS). During the nearly 2,000 hours of extra-vehicular activity (EVA), crew wore extra-vehicular mobility unit (EMU) “spacesuits” to help mitigate hazards of the space environment including impacts from micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) particles. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducts detailed EMU MMOD risk analyses as part of the ISS EVA review and approval process. This paper provides a general historical overview of the ISS EVA MMOD risks and the associated risk assessment process. The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) Hypervelocity Impact Technology (HVIT) Team produces the ISS EVA MMOD risk analyses using the Bumper MMOD risk analysis code in conjunction with detailed information about the EVA including crew member EVA work sites, crew translation paths, suit orientation, and durations. Detailed physical models of the EMU spacesuit and the ISS are included and tailored for each EVA analysis. Two types of MMOD risk are included: (1) Penetration, and (2) Catastrophic. Penetration risk is for any size leak in the EMU suit. Catastrophic risk is a subset of Penetration Risk and only includes penetrations that cause a 4mm diameter hole (or larger) in the pressure-maintaining “bladder” layer of the EMU suit. This size hole will exceed the ability of the EMU suit to compensate. The MMOD risk analyses also utilize the latest orbital debris environment and meteoroid environment models including additional transient factors to account for recent satellite break-ups and annual meteor storms. These additional factors and the associated increase in EVA MMOD risk are considered when scheduling EVAs to reduce EMU MMOD risk.

Dana M. Lear↗
DOE OSTI2012

Enhancement of NRC station blackout requirements for nuclear power plants

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) established a Near-Term Task Force (NTTF) in response to Commission direction to conduct a systematic and methodical review of NRC processes and regulations to determine whether the agency should make additional improvements to its regulatory system and to make recommendations to the Commission for its policy direction, in light of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant. The NTTF's review resulted in a set of recommendations that took a balanced approach to defense-in-depth as applied to low-likelihood, high-consequence events such as prolonged station blackout (SBO) resulting from severe natural phenomena. Part 50, Section 63, of Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), 'Loss of All Alternating Current Power,' currently requires that each nuclear power plant must be able to cool the reactor core and maintain containment integrity for a specified duration of an SBO. The SBO duration and mitigation strategy for each nuclear power plant is site specific and is based on the robustness of the local transmission system and the transmission system operator's capability to restore offsite power to the nuclear power plant. With regard to SBO, the NTTF recommended that the NRC strengthen SBO mitigation capability at all operating and new reactors for design-basis and beyond-design-basis external events. The NTTF also recommended strengthening emergency preparedness for prolonged SBO and multi-unit events. These recommendations, taken together, are intended to clarify and strengthen US nuclear reactor safety regarding protection against and mitigation of the consequences of natural disasters and emergency preparedness during SBO. The focus of this paper is on the existing SBO requirements and NRC initiatives to strengthen SBO capability at all operating and new reactors to address prolonged SBO stemming from design-basis and beyond-design-basis external events. The NRC initiatives are intended to enhance core and spent fuel pool cooling, reactor coolant system integrity, and containment integrity. (authors)

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Validation for {sup 233}U-Fueled Systems in KENO V.a in SCALE 6.2

Validation of the KENO V.a Monte Carlo code has been performed in recent years using benchmark experiments contained in the International Criticality Safety Benchmark Evaluation Project (ICSBEP) Handbook. The models used in these recent validation efforts have been drawn from the Verified, Archived Library of Inputs and Data (VALID). Models must be generated and reviewed by qualified individuals to be added to the VALID library, which leads to high confidence in the models and reduces the probability that apparent validation issues are a result of modeling errors. The contents of the VALID library are somewhat limited because of the effort involved in generating and reviewing models, so no {sup 233}U-fueled experiments are included in VALID. A large number of models of {sup 233}U experiments have been modeled in the past in support of the criticality safety of {sup 233}U in storage at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). In June, 2016, two midshipmen from the United States Naval Academy were assigned to ORNL, and they reviewed and updated these models for execution in SCALE 6.2. The validation of {sup 233}U is of interest because some discrepancies in SCALE results were identified by a beta tester at the Nuclear Energy Agency modeling these systems. These discrepancies were related to a data thinning procedure in the continuous-energy nuclear data process, and had been resolved prior to the release of SCALE 6.2. (authors)

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NICS (NASA Instrument Capabilities Study) Instrument Schedule and Cost Study

This paper summarizes work performed on the Flight Projects Directorate Planetary Science Projects Division (PSPD, Code 430) NICS (NASA Instrument Capabilities study) instrument schedule and cost study. Included are a short summary of the original NICS (NASA, 2008), and the design and approach, data collection, analysis, preliminary findings and recommendations from select areas of the current study. The NICS (2008) was chartered by then NASA Chief Engineer Michael Ryschkewitsch and chaired by Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) engineer, John Leon. The focus was to identify problem areas in instrument development and, if possible, to offer solutions. In the area of instrument developments, the NICS (2008) identified a lack of resources and authority to successfully manage to instrument cost and schedule requirements; and a lack of critical skills, expertise, and leadership to successfully implement unique (one-of-a-kind) high technology developments (NASA, 2008, pp. 51, 52). Additionally, the NICS (2008) found problems in requirements formulation, reviews and management; unrealistic caps and overly optimistic estimates; and externally directed changes which increased the likelihood of overrunning cost and schedule (NASA, 2008, pp.53, 54). It is noteworthy that NICS findings are consistent with previous studies at the mission level (Robbins, Schmidt & White, 2020). Five years later in 2013, the Instrument Projects Division (IPD) was established to implement and manage instrument projects greater than $20M. The IPD was known as Code 490. Its structure incorporated several of the NICS (2008) recommendations. To see if these incorporated recommendations made a difference, and to identify other potential challenges in instrument developments, two parallel studies were initiated. Originally led by the IPD, now led by the PSPD, and the Instrument and Payload Systems Engineering Branch (IPSE, Code 592), respectively, the instrument schedule and cost study and the instrument technical complexity study began in 2017. Data collection was initiated in 2020 and is on-going. This paper is limited to the IPD/PSPD study. Among other findings, preliminary data indicate IPD/PSPD project management support positively influenced instrument development as related to providing a dedicated level of support staff, including a deputy Instrument Project Manager (dIPM), reducing IPM leadership changes, and providing other project support. Next steps include continued data collection and analysis, and mapping to technical complexity data.

NICS implementation↗
DOE OSTI2010

Dose-Volume Analysis of Radiation Pneumonitis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Concurrent Cisplatinum and Etoposide With or Without Consolidation Docetaxel

Purpose: To examine the rates and risk factors for radiation pneumonitis (RP) in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. Methods and Materials: We reviewed dosimetry records from Stage III NSCLC patients treated on a prospective randomized trial. Patients received concurrent cisplatinum/etoposide with radiation therapy to 59.4Gy. A total of 243 patients were enrolled; 167 did not experience progression and were randomized to observation (OB) or consolidation docetaxel (CD). Toxicity was coded based on the presence of Grade 0 to 1 vs. Grade 2 to 5 RP using the Common Toxicity Criteria and Adverse Events (CTCAE) v3.0. Results: Median age and follow-up were 63 years and 16 months, respectively. Overall, Grade 0 to 1 and Grade 2 to 5 RP were reported in 226 patients and 17 patients (7%) respectively. Median mean lung dose (MLD), V5, V20, and V30 for evaluable patients were 18 Gy, 52%, 35%, and 29%. MLD in Grade 0 to 1 and Grade 2 to 5 patients was 1,748 c Gy and 2,013 cGy in respectively (p = 0.12). Grade 2 to 5 RP developed in 2.2% and 19% of patients with MLD < 18 Gy and MLD > 18 Gy, respectively (p = 0.015). Mean V20 was 33.7% and 37.7% for Grade 0 to 1 and Grade 2 to 5 groups, respectively (p = 0.29). Grade 2 to 5 RP developed in 4.8% and 17% of patients with V20 < 35% and V20 > 35%, respectively. The OB and CD groups had similar MLD and V20, and the RP rates were 3.6% and 14.6%, respectively (p = 0.015). Patients who developed Grade 0 to 1 and Grade 2 to 5 RP had similar mean V5, V10, V15, V20, V25, V30, age, smoking history, and tumor characteristics. Conclusions: The overall rate of Grade 2 to 5 RP was 7% in patients treated with chemoradiotherapy. In this analysis, predictive factors for RP were MLD > 18 Gy and treatment with CD.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2017

MicroRNA-133 mediates cardiac diseases: Mechanisms and clinical implications

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) belong to the family of small non-coding RNAs that mediate gene expression by post-transcriptional regulation. Increasing evidence have demonstrated that miR-133 is enriched in muscle tissues and myogenic cells, and its aberrant expression could induce the occurrence and development of cardiac disorders, such as cardiac hypertrophy, heart failure, etc. In this review, we summarized the regulatory roles of miR-133 in cardiac disorders and the underlying mechanisms, which suggest that miR-133 may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic tool for cardiac disorders. - Highlights: • miR-218 is frequently downregulated in multiple cancers. • miR-218 plays pivotal roles in carcinogenesis. • miR-218 mediates proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, etc. • miR-218 mediates tumorigenesis and metastasis via multiple pathways.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-I-32: Benchmarking Head CT Doses: A Pooled Vs. Protocol Specific Analysis of Radiation Doses in Adult Head CT Examinations

Purpose: The aim of this study was to collect CT dose index data from adult head exams to establish benchmarks based on either: (a) values pooled from all head exams or (b) values for specific protocols. One part of this was to investigate differences in scan frequency and CT dose index data for inpatients versus outpatients. Methods: We collected CT dose index data (CTDIvol) from adult head CT examinations performed at our medical facilities from Jan 1st to Dec 31th, 2014. Four of these scanners were used for inpatients, the other five were used for outpatients. All scanners used Tube Current Modulation. We used X-ray dose management software to mine dose index data and evaluate CTDIvol for 15807 inpatients and 4263 outpatients undergoing Routine Brain, Sinus, Facial/Mandible, Temporal Bone, CTA Brain and CTA Brain-Neck protocols, and combined across all protocols. Results: For inpatients, Routine Brain series represented 84% of total scans performed. For outpatients, Sinus scans represented the largest fraction (36%). The CTDIvol (mean ± SD) across all head protocols was 39 ± 30 mGy (min-max: 3.3–540 mGy). The CTDIvol for Routine Brain was 51 ± 6.2 mGy (min-max: 36–84 mGy). The values for Sinus were 24 ± 3.2 mGy (min-max: 13–44 mGy) and for Facial/Mandible were 22 ± 4.3 mGy (min-max: 14–46 mGy). The mean CTDIvol for inpatients and outpatients was similar across protocols with one exception (CTA Brain-Neck). Conclusion: There is substantial dose variation when results from all protocols are pooled together; this is primarily a function of the differences in technical factors of the protocols themselves. When protocols are analyzed separately, there is much less variability. While analyzing pooled data affords some utility, reviewing protocols segregated by clinical indication provides greater opportunity for optimization and establishing useful benchmarks.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Materials response under hypersonic flow conditions probed by multi-modal diagnostics in a benchtop wind tunnel

In this LDRD “Materials response under hypersonic flow conditions probed by multi-modal diagnostics in a benchtop wind tunnel” a peer-reviewed lab-scale hypersonic wind tunnel (WT) was planned to be assembled in-house, along with time and space resolved and related flow and materials diagnostics to derive high quality measurements and the science that is able to inform the development of our modeling and simulation codes for the hypersonic regime. The baseline capability to achieve Mach 3 flow was scheduled to be completed in Q4 2020, in the first year of the LDRD. However due to the COVID-19 delays and travel restrictions starting in March, 2020 this task could not be completed to carry out the materials response studies in-house, or those planned with external partners that were engaged during this LDRD (NASA Langley, NASA Ames, Texas A&M university, and Virginia Tech). Still, using our hypersonic computational fluid simulation codes, many of the hypersonic components have been designed (for Mach 3, 5, and 7) and procured (or in procurement phase), and a new dedicated hypersonic laboratory was facilitized, 2 WT test sections have been manufactured, and a Mach 3 nozzle was 3D printed for prototyping. In parallel, unique materials diagnostics have been tested under static conditions and fully specified and awaiting validation in our partner facilities. Due to the new hypersonic initiative announced in January, 2020 we proposed a related scope increase in hypersonics research requiring energy interactions and new diagnostics well beyond what could be supported by an LDRD ER. A decision was made to end the current LDRD ER and formally propose a new LDRD SI that leverages the current effort, which will be starting in FY21. As a result of the uniqueness of this LDRD work, our early efforts have been encouraged and well received in the hypersonic research community, and is now part of multiple unsolicited internal and external project proposals expected to be funded in the coming years, which is encouraging to make LLNL a leader in experimentally probing extreme physics of local energetics critical to hypersonics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1982

Magnetic Tape Recording for the Eighties

The practical and theoretical aspects of state-of-the-art magnetic tape recording technology are reviewed. Topics covered include the following: (1) analog and digital magnetic tape recording, (2) tape and head wear, (3) wear testing, (4) magnetic tape certification, (5) care, handling, and management of magnetic tape, (6) cleaning, packing, and winding of magnetic tape, (7) tape reels, bands, and packaging, (8) coding techniques for high-density digital recording, and (9) tradeoffs of coding techniques.

Kalil, Ford↗
NASA NTRS1984

Numerical simulations of positively-biased probes and dielectric-conductor disks in a plasma

Plasma densities in the low-earth orbit range may be sufficient to cause difficulties for spacecraft operating at high voltages in this environment. The present investigation is concerned with the results of a continuing effort to develop a particle-in-cell (PIC), cylindrically-symmetric, 2-1/2 dimensional, self-consistent numerical simulation code. The simulation has the objective to explore the interactions of an ambient plasma with a conducting disk, which may be partially covered by a dielectric material. The disk and the surrounding dielectric material represent a hole in an insulator covering a conductor. Attention is given to a review of the simulation model, plain disk calculations, the disk and dielectric configuration, and the 'pinhole' effect.

Brandon, S. T.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Direct numerical simulations and modeling of a spatially-evolving turbulent wake

Understanding of turbulent free shear flows (wakes, jets, and mixing layers) is important, not only for scientific interest, but also because of their appearance in numerous practical applications. Turbulent wakes, in particular, have recently received increased attention by researchers at NASA Langley. The turbulent wake generated by a two-dimensional airfoil has been selected as the test-case for detailed high-resolution particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments. This same wake has also been chosen to enhance NASA's turbulence modeling efforts. Over the past year, the author has completed several wake computations, while visiting NASA through the 1993 and 1994 ASEE summer programs, and also while on sabbatical leave during the 1993-94 academic year. These calculations have included two-equation (K-omega and K-epsilon) models, algebraic stress models (ASM), full Reynolds stress closure models, and direct numerical simulations (DNS). Recently, there has been mutually beneficial collaboration of the experimental and computational efforts. In fact, these projects have been chosen for joint presentation at the NASA Turbulence Peer Review, scheduled for September 1994. DNS calculations are presently underway for a turbulent wake at Re(sub theta) = 1000 and at a Mach number of 0.20. (Theta is the momentum thickness, which remains constant in the wake of a two dimensional body.) These calculations utilize a compressible DNS code written by M. M. Rai of NASA Ames, and modified for the wake by J. Cimbala. The code employs fifth-order accurate upwind-biased finite differencing for the convective terms, fourth-order accurate central differencing for the viscous terms, and an iterative-implicit time-integration scheme. The computational domain for these calculations starts at x/theta = 10, and extends to x/theta = 610. Fully developed turbulent wake profiles, obtained from experimental data from several wake generators, are supplied at the computational inlet, along with appropriate noise. After some adjustment period, the flow downstream of the inlet develops into a fully three-dimensional turbulent wake. Of particular interest in the present study is the far wake spreading rate and the self-similar mean and turbulence profiles. At the time of this writing, grid resolution studies are underway, and a code is being written to calculate turbulence statistics from these wake calculations; the statistics will be compared to those from the ongoing PIV wake measurements, those of previous experiments, and those predicted by the various turbulence models. These calculations will lead to significant long-term benefits for the turbulence modeling effort. In particular, quantities such as the pressure-strain correlation and the dissipation rate tensor can be easily calculated from the DNS results, whereas these quantities are nearly impossible to measure experimentally. Improvements to existing turbulence models (and development of new models) require knowledge about flow quantities such as these. Present turbulence models do a very good job at prediction of the shape of the mean velocity and Reynolds stress profiles in a turbulent wake, but significantly underpredict the magnitude of the stresses and the spreading rate of the wake. Thus, the turbulent wake is an ideal flow for turbulence modeling research. By careful comparison and analysis of each term in the modeled Reynolds stress equations, the DNS data can show where deficiencies in the models exist; improvements to the models can then be attempted.

Cimbala, John M.↗
DOE OSTI2012

CORAL Server and CORAL Server Proxy: Scalable Access to Relational Databases from CORAL Applications

The CORAL software is widely used at CERN by the LHC experiments to access the data they store on relational databases, such as Oracle. Two new components have recently been added to implement a model involving a middle tier 'CORAL server' deployed close to the database and a tree of 'CORAL server proxies', providing data caching and multiplexing, deployed close to the client. A first implementation of the two new components, released in the summer 2009, is now deployed in the ATLAS online system to read the data needed by the High Level Trigger, allowing the configuration of a farm of several thousand processes. This paper reviews the architecture of the software, its development status and its usage in ATLAS.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Automated Extraction of Energy Systems Information from Remotely Sensed Data: A Review and Analysis

We report high quality energy systems information is a crucial input to energy systems research, modeling, and decision-making. Unfortunately, actionable information about energy systems is often of limited availability, incomplete, or only accessible for a substantial fee or through a non-disclosure agreement. Recently, remotely sensed data (e.g., satellite imagery, aerial photography) have emerged as a potentially rich source of energy systems information. However, the use of these data is frequently challenged by its sheer volume and complexity, precluding manual analysis. Recent breakthroughs in machine learning have enabled automated and rapid extraction of useful information from remotely sensed data, facilitating large-scale acquisition of critical energy system variables. Here we present a systematic review of the literature on this emerging topic, providing an in-depth survey and review of papers published within the past two decades. We first taxonomize the existing literature into ten major areas, spanning the energy value chain. Within each research area, we distill and critically discuss major features that are relevant to energy researchers, including, for example, key challenges regarding the accessibility and reliability of the methods. We then synthesize our findings to identify limitations and trends in the literature as a whole, and discuss opportunities for innovation. These include the opportunity to extend the methods beyond electricity to broader energy systems and wider geographic areas; and the ability to expand the use of these methods in research and decision making as satellite data become cheaper and easier to access. We also find that there are persistent challenges: limited standardization and rigor of performance assessments; limited sharing of code, which would improve replicability; and a limited consideration of the ethics and privacy of data.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Machine learning for ultrasonic nondestructive examination of welding defects: A systematic review

Recent years have seen a substantial increase in the application of machine learning (ML) for automated analysis of nondestructive examination (NDE) data. One of the applications of interest is the use of ML for the analysis of data from in-service inspection of welds in nuclear power and other industries. These types of inspections are performed in accordance with criteria described in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code and require the use of reliable NDE techniques. The rapid growth in ML methods and the diversity of possible approaches indicate a need to assess the current capabilities of ML and automated data analysis for NDE and identify any gaps or shortcomings in current ML technologies as applied to the automated analysis of NDE data. In particular, there is a need to determine the impact of ML on the NDE reliability. This paper discusses the findings from a literature survey on the current state of ML for the automated analysis of data from ultrasonic NDE of weld flaws. It discusses an overview of ultrasonic NDE as used for weld inspections in nuclear power and other industries. Herein, data sets and ML models used in the literature are summarized, along with a generally applicable workflow for ML. Findings on the capabilities, limitations and potential gaps in feature selection, data selection, and ML model optimization are discussed. The paper identified several needs for quantifying and validating the performance of ML methods for ultrasonic NDE, including the need for common data sets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗