SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING DEFECTS IN STRUCTURES

摘要

A system and method for monitoring defects in a structure are provided. The system (I 10) includes a power supply (112) for supplying an electric current to a monitoring area (118) of the structure (114) and a reference (116); a measurement circuit for measuring a potential drop across at least two contact points (126, 128) of the monitoring area (118) and at least two contact points (122, 124) of the reference (116); and a processor (112) adapted to determine a ratio of the monitoring area potential drop to the reference potential drop indicative of a percentage change in a thickness of the structure (114). The method includes the steps of supplying the current to the monitoring area (118) and the reference (116); measuring a first potential drop across the monitoring area (118) and the reference (116); and determining the ratio indicative of the percentage change in the thickness of the structure (114).