A method for detecting fatigue cracks in the welds between the U-ribs and deck plates on the orthotropic steel deck of a road bridge by temperature measurement using infrared thermography has been developed in Japan [1]. This paper describes the development of the system for detecting fatigue cracks on an orthotropic steel deck using the temperature gap method, and the results of inspections at the Honshu-Shikoku Bridge Expressway.

As part of recent measures to combat global warming, automobiles are required to be electrified and their weight reduced, leading to the advancement of multi-material structures that include aluminum alloys and aluminum die castings. Conventional fusion welding methods for joining aluminum alloys and steel materials have poor joining performance due to differences in thermal conductivity between the materials and the presence of oxide films. Friction stir welding (FSW) has been attracting attention in recent years because they are solid-phase joining methods and can also be used to join dissimilar materials. In this study, three types of FSW overlay joints were fabricated:AA6111, an aluminum alloy, was used for the upper plate, and AA6111, AA6061, an aluminum alloy, and DX30, a die cast material, were used for the lower plate. Non-destructive testing was performed on each joint to instantly inspect and visualize joint defects. In the case of FSW joints, no difference was observed in the heat transfer process when the joint was heated directly, but the location of the hooking could be identified by heating from a distance from the joint. The results of the analysis of the temperature change at the defect location showed a difference in heat propagation.

This study presents an improved UAV-based structure inspection method that integrates advanced 3D modeling and optimized path planning with obstacle avoidance. The system uses Meshroom, an open-source software, to combine multiple sets of 3D point clouds collected by a UAV-mounted 3D camera into a complete 3D model of the structure. Because point cloud data typically contain an overwhelming number of points, they are grouped into smaller sets, each represented by an oriented bounding box (OBB). This step significantly reduces the complexity in path-planning calculations. The UAV, modeled as a flying sphere, initially moves along a straight path from its starting point to a target position. A gradient-based optimization method then adjusts this trajectory to maintain a safe distance between the UAV and the OBBs representing the obstacles. Results show that the proposed method successfully generates safe and efficient UAV flight paths, improving both the accuracy and safety of UAV-based structure inspections.

This study investigates the effect of paint-related properties on the accuracy of delamination detection in lined oil paintings using pulsed phase thermography (PPT). Mock-ups of lined oil paintings were examined by PPT under both normal and angled illumination to induce apparently localized heating. Spectral characteristics in the excitation and detection wavelength ranges were analyzed and related to phase contrast variations in the resulting images. While paint-dependent energy absorption under localized heating may blur phase contrast and lead to misidentification of delamination, emissivity properties appear to contribute to stabilizing phase signals. These findings underscore the importance of accounting for paint properties in conservation diagnostics.

The drive to transition towards greener methods for energy production and industrial processes is stronger every year. Typical combustion reactions create well known gas products (CO₂, H₂O, CO, etc…) and governments as well as the industry are pushing to limit the amount of greenhouse gases emitted every day. A great example of this effort is the research accomplished at the Instituto de Tecnología Cerámica (ITC) in Spain, focusing on a transition for ceramic annealing by a helium burner instead of a traditional natural gas one. Associated with the University of Jaume, their fundamental objective is to research, capitalize on knowledge, transfer technology, and design high-value services for companies. A demonstrative study was accomplished with a multispectral infrared camera to observe the difference in CO₂ and H₂O output from one type of combustion to the other as well as study the fire plume behaviour using high-speed infrared imaging.

The rapid development of space economy is posing big challenges, a major one being space debris mitigation. Under this respect, the Horizon Europe EARS project aims to introduce the disruptive concept of reusability in the SmallSat market, taking a step towards a more sustainable exploitation of space. EARS main objective has been to outline the concept of operations (CONOPS) of a small reusable satellite and the maturation of the relevant key enabling technologies needed to guarantee a safe re-entry to the satellite and its payload. In this paper, we present the preliminary design of the EARS spacecraft, its CONOPS and mission engineering with an overview of the simulations conducted to assess the aerodynamic load during spacecraft re-entry and the Plasmatron tests executed for the selection and characterization of the materials suitable for the construction of an inflatable thermal protection system to guarantee a safe atmospheric re-entry.

The rise of metal additive manufacturing demands faster fatigue assessment, as conventional testing remains time-consuming and costly. This study applies a combination of infrared thermography-based techniques: Heat Source Reconstruction (HSR) and Second-Harmonic Thermoelastic Stress Analysis (SHTSA), under constant and continuously varying stress amplitudes, for rapid fatigue characterisation. HSR quantifies mechanical dissipation, while SHTSA assesses nonlinear spectral responses beyond thermoelastic coupling. Tests on 5052-H32 aluminium and SS304 steel specimens validate the integrated approach.

With the increasing adoption of wide-bandgap semiconductors such as SiC and GaN in high-power electronics, the thermal management of semiconductor devices has become critical. High thermal conductivity thermal interface materials (TIMs) are essential to minimize thermal contact resistance.
While advanced fillers such as graphene, diamond nanosheets, and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) have been proposed, their effectiveness strongly depends on the spatial continuity and orientation of the filler network. Excessive filler loading, on the other hand, degrades mechanical strength and
flexibility. Visualizing the spatial distribution of thermal conductivity is thus essential to optimize the filler structure.
This study investigates the correlation between the spatial thermal diffusivity distribution and the internal filler structure in composite materials using both experimental and numerical approaches. A lock-in thermography-based laser periodic heating method was used to image the thermal diffusivity
of a CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced plastic) specimen. The internal fiber-resin structure was visualized using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (CT), meshed using GeoDict, and used to perform transient heat conduction simulations in ANSYS. The thermal diffusivity distribution obtained from simulations was compared with that measured by the lock-in thermography method. Good agreement between the two results validated the capability of the method to visualize anisotropic thermal transport associated with the fiber structure. Additionally, the effects of filler content and chain-like carbon fiber configurations on thermal diffusivity were discussed. The findings provide valuable insights for the structural design of high thermal conductivity composite materials.

Infrared thermography, particularly its active form, is increasingly used in various industries in non-destructive testing (NDT). To support its broader adoption, structured standardization efforts have been developed within CEN/TC 138/WG11 and coordinated with ISO. Key standards—such as EN 16714, EN 17119, and EN 17501—define principles, procedures, and equipment requirements. Current activities include finalizing the draft on induction thermography, revising EN 17119, and developing new projects on optical lock-in, laser weld inspection, and thermal diffusivity. Standardization enhances comparability, reliability, and certification, making thermography a robust and scalable solution within the global NDT framework.

Interference caused by multiple reflections is a critical issue in transmission measurements using continuous wave (CW) terahertz and sub-terahertz radiation. This study proposes a practical method to reduce interference effects and improve the stability of transmittance measurements. By deriving analytical expressions for interference patterns under both normal and oblique incidence conditions, we demonstrate that oblique incidence simplifies the interference behavior and allows reliable extraction of transmittance values from maximum and minimum signal intensities. Using a 95 GHz CW oscillator and a 1 mm-thick PET sample, we conducted transmission measurements while varying the detector position. The derived method enabled the calculation of interference-free transmittance values that were consistent across different sample positions. This approach offers a practical technique for material characterization, especially in applications such as nondestructive testing and plastic recycling.