Sensor Validation in Non-Destructive Evaluation using Clustering

Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques for condition monitoring in remote solid structures have evolved vastly in the last few years. Algorithms for estimation of sensor integrity and for noise correction form a crucial aspect of NDE. This paper presents a sensor validation approach that verifies sensor integrity, identifies and corrects noise effects and selects the best possible array of sensors for multi-sensor fusion. The proposed methodology uses a novel change detection algorithm for noise correction and a clustering algorithm to isolate useful signal information from the sensor data. It was used for sensor selection in a NDE field study, where multiple sensors were used to examine a solid structure. The methodology achieved 97% accuracy in the experiments, indicating its efficacy.