COMPARE - Comparative Visualization of time-varying multidimensional Data

For highly complex material systems such as fibre-reinforced composites, which are used in safety-critical industries such as automotive, aerospace or space industry, analyses regarding internal characteristics, quality and safety are essential. By means of image based, non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, a visual analysis of material properties and their behavior in their target application scenario is possible for the first time. Internal processes of material systems may be imaged in high detail by X-ray computed tomography (XCT) as a series of 3D XCT scans (== 4DCT). Secondary data sets are derived from these primary NDT data using segmentation and quantification algorithms. Together, these ensemble data of primary and secondary data form the basis of this project.
The goal of the PhD project COMPARE is to develop comparative visualization techniques for such ensemble data sets over time or over running NDT processes as generated using in-situ tests (e.g. with respect to tension, pressure, thermal load or similar) for complex material systems. The focus of the visualization methods to be generated is on the comparative representation of the development of interesting features and their characteristics over time or a running NDT process across one or more material systems. Therefore, the project will (1) enable a visual analysis of multivariate secondary data sets of single material systems, (2) develop comparative analysis and visualization techniques of secondary data for several material systems and (3) develop visual analysis methods for 4DCT data of several material systems using new visualization techniques.
The comparative visualization of the internal changes of a material system will generate a detailed understanding of the modification of individual objects and their characteristics and thus enable detailed investigations of the suitability of a material system for the target application. A comparative investigation of quantitative features of several material systems is crucial to determine statistically validated characteristics regarding material properties and their change. The generated comparative visualization techniques allow to take full advantage of human perception and thus to significantly reduce costs by accelerate data evaluation. COMPARE realizes a visualization system that for the first time makes detailed novel knowledge about the course of internal material processes available and thus ensures a significant increase in efficiency and effectiveness in the production, quality control and optimization of materials.