//

Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest news and events from TWI:

Subscribe >

Charles Schneider

Back to Who We Are Alan Taylor Bernadette Craster Carol Johnson Colin Ribton Dr Channa Nageswaran Jonathan Martin Matthew Doré Charles Schneider
 

Charles Schneider has specialised in the reliability and theoretical modelling of non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques since 1985, including 11 years with UK nuclear generating companies. He has played a leading role in the independent qualification of various ultrasonic inspections, and he has over 35 years’ experience in writing and reviewing technical justifications (TJs) for various NDT procedures.

During his early career, Charles worked mainly on the development and application of mathematical models for ultrasonic testing. Charles helped to statistically quantify the reliability of the Sizewell B pressurised water reactor Primary Protection System software. In 1996, he was appointed Nuclear Safety Case Engineer, with responsibility for implementing schemes for analysis of component reliability data.

Since joining TWI in 1997, Charles has played a leading role in developing NDT guidance for the BS 7910 and R6 procedures, drawing on his project experience in determining flaw sizes for input to engineering critical assessments. An area of current interest is the extension of such guidance to the probabilistic assessment of structural integrity.

Charles has undertaken statistical and probabilistic analysis across various engineering disciplines at TWI, including the analysis of fatigue test data. He has also used statistical methods to extrapolate corrosion mapping data both in time and to uninspected regions of large plant items.

Connect with Charles on LinkedIn

Open video

Meet The Expert - Charles Schneider

Qualifications, Awards and Standards Activities

  • MA (Oxon), Mathematics
  • European Engineer (EurIng)
  • Chartered Engineer (CEng)
  • Professional Member of the Welding Institute (MWeldI)
  • Fellow of British Institute of NDT (FInstNDT)
  • British Institute of NDT's Ron Halmshaw Award for the best paper published in Insight on industrial radiography, 2003
  • British Institute of NDT's Nemet Award for outstandingly effective use of NDT, 1992
    • Member of UK standards committees responsible for developing:
  • British Institute of NDT's Ron Halmshaw Award for the best paper published in Insight on industrial radiography, 2003
  • British Institute of NDT's Nemet Award for outstandingly effective use of NDT, 1992
  • Member of UK standards committees responsible for developing:

o   BS7910:2019 Annex T: ‘Guidance on the use of NDT with Engineering Critical Assessment (ECA)’

o   BS7910:2019 Annex K: ‘Probabilistic assessment’

o   R6, 2019: ‘Assessment of the integrity of structures containing defects’, Rev 4 Amendment 12, July

  • Ongoing role on NDT and reliability panels responsible for developing BS7910 (Annexes T and K respectively)
  • Current member of ASME III UK International Working Group (IWG) developing a new Code Case for eddy current array testing in lieu of MPI and penetrants

Reports and Papers

  1. Hadley I, Schneider C R A and Janin Y J, 2023: ‘Integrating diverse approaches to the reliability of engineering structures: low temperature performance of pressure piping in the as-welded condition’. TWI Industrial Member Report 1168/2023 [32878/3v3/23 (1738.3)], January.
  2. Hadley I, Schneider C R A and Janin Y J, 2023: ‘Integrating diverse approaches to the reliability of engineering structures: refinement of the fracture model for pressure piping’. TWI Industrial Member Report 1167/2023 [32878/2v3/23 (1737.3)], January.
  3. Schneider C R A, Sanderson R M, Carpentier C, Nageswaran C and Zhao L, 2012: ‘Estimation of probability of detection curves for ultrasonic testing based on theoretical simulation of the inspection process’. TWI Industrial Member Report 1022/2012, August.
  4. Nageswaran C, Schneider C R A and Decourcelle N, 2008: ‘Validation of theoretical models for focussed/phased array ultrasonic inspection’. TWI Industrial Member Report 896/2008, March.
  5. Schneider C R A, Kleiner D and Williams S M, 2005: ‘Optimising focussed / phased array ultrasonic testing of clad pipe: initial verification of CIVA 3D modelling software’. TWI Industrial Member Report 836/2005 (15030.01/2004/1224.3), November.
  6. Wintle J B, Sanderson R M and Schneider C R A, 2001: ‘An appraisal of statistical inspection strategies and inspection updating’. TWI Industrial Member report 750/2002.
  1. Smith A T, Schneider C R A, Bird C R and Wall M, 2019: ‘Use of non-destructive testing for engineering critical assessment: background to the advice given in BS 7910:2013’, International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, Volume 169, pp153-159, January 2019.
  2. Majidnia S, Schneider C, Rudlin J and Nilavalan R, 2014: ‘A method of determining the eddy current instrument response from models’. Insight 56 (2) February. Also in Proc. 2013 Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Telford).
  3. Consonni M, Howse D S, Fun Wee C and Schneider C R A, 2014: ‘Production of joints welded with realistic defects’. Welding International 28 (5).
  4. Consonni M, Howse D S, Fun Wee C and Schneider C R A, 2011: ‘Manufacturing of welded joints with realistic defects’. Original Italian version in Rivista Italiana della Saldatura (journal of Italian Institute of Welding) No 5 (Sept/Oct) and presented at Giornate Nazionali di Saldatura 6 conference, Genova, Italy, 26/27 May 2011, Istituto Italiano della Saldatura (Italian Institute of Welding). English versions in Proc NDT 2011 & Insight, February 2012.
  5. Schneider C R A and Bird C R, 2009: ‘Reliability of manually applied phased array inspection’. 4th European-American Workshop on Reliability of NDE, Berlin, 24-26 June. Also in Bulletin 50 (3) May/June.
  6. Nageswaran C, Schneider C R A and Bird C R, 2008: ‘Sound field modelling using SimulUS’. Insight Vol.50 No.5, May, pp258-263.
  7. Bullough R, Dolby R E, Beardsmore D W, Burdekin F M and Schneider C R A, 2007: ‘The probability of formation and detection of large flaws in welds’. TAGSI document TAGSI/P(01)173.International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping, Volume 84, Issue 12, Dec, pp730-738.
  8. Rudlin J R, Muhammed A and Schneider C R A, 2006: ‘Investigation of inspection performance on cracked railway axles’. Insight 48 (6), June, pp348-351.
  9. Schneider C R A and Georgiou G A, 2005: ‘Radiography of thin section welds, part 4: further modelling’. Insight 47 (2) February. Also in Proceedings 2004 Annual British Conf. on NDT (Torquay).
  10. Georgiou G A and Schneider C R A, 2005: ‘Radiography of thin section welds, part 3: additional flaw measurements’. Insight 47 (5) May (originally presented at 2004 Annual Br. Conf. on NDT).
  11. Schneider C R A and Georgiou G A, 2004: ‘Further modelling - radiography of thin-section welds’. Bulletin 45(5)September/October.
  12. Schneider C R A and Rudlin J R, 2004: ‘First time, every time - stats in NDT reliability’. Bulletin 45(3)May/June 2004.
  13. Schneider C R A and Rudlin J R, 2004: ‘Review of statistical methods used in quantifying NDT reliability’. Insight 46 (2) February. Also in Proc. 2003 Annual British Conference on NDT (Worcester).
  14. Schneider C R A and Georgiou G A, 2003: ‘The model approach to radiography’. Bulletin 44 (6) November/December.
  15. Georgiou G A and Schneider C R A, 2003: ‘X-ray ... the practical way’. Bulletin 44 (5).
  16. Schneider C R A and Georgiou G A: ‘Radiography of thin section welds, part 2: modelling’. Insight 45 (2) February 2003, pp119-121. Also in Proc. 2002 Annual British Conference on NDT (Southport). Joint winner of 2003 Ron Halmshaw Award for best paper published in Insight on industrial radiography.
  17. Georgiou G A and Schneider C R A: ‘Radiography of thin section welds, part 1: practical approach’. Insight 45 (2) February 2003, pp116-121. Also in Proc. 2002 Annual British Conference on NDT (Southport). Joint winner of 2003 Ron Halmshaw Award for best paper published in Insight on industrial radiography.
  18. Shipp R, Schneider C R A, Bird C R and Wood D A, 2002: ‘Independent qualification of phased array inspection of fillet welds’. Proc. 2002 Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Southport). Also in Bulletin 43 (6) November/December, pp13-15.
  19. Schneider C R A, Sanderson R M and Muhammed A, 2002: ‘How long have they got? … predicting the remaining lifetime of in-service pipelines’. Bulletin 43 (2) March/April.
  20. Schneider C R A, Muhammed A and Sanderson R M, 2001: ‘Predicting the remaining lifetime of in-service pipelines based on sample inspection data’. Insight 43 (2) February, pp102-104. Also in Proc. 2000 Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Buxton).
  21. Wintle J B, Kenzie B W and Schneider C R A, 1999: ‘Generating confidence through inspection qualification - the surest route to effective NDT’. Bulletin 40 (2) March/April.
  1. Janin Y J, Hadley I and Schneider C R A, 2022: ‘Probabilistic fracture mechanics approach for the assessment of pressure piping’. 4th International Symposium on Probabilistic Methodologies for Nuclear Applications (ISPMNA), Leicester, UK, 1-3 November.
  2. Jackson P, Mudge P J, Thornicroft K J, Haig A G, Sanderson R, Hutchison E and Schneider C R A, 2016: ‘Use of guided wave inspections to monitor the integrity of nuclear power station boilers’. Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE, 17-22 July, Atlanta.
  3. Mudge P J, Thornicroft K J, Haig A, JacksonP, SandersonR M, Hutchison E and Schneider C R A, 2016: ‘Use of guided wave inspections to monitor the integrity of nuclear power station boilers’. 69th IIW Annual Assembly and International Conference, Melbourne, Australia, 10-15 July.
  4. Mudge P J, Thornicroft K J, Haig A, JacksonP, SandersonR M, Hutchison E and Schneider C R A, 2015; 2016: ‘Use of guided wave inspections to monitor the integrity of nuclear power station boilers’. ASNT Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, 26-29 October 2015. Also in 19th World Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (WCNDT), 13-17 June 2016 (paper We.2.E.2).
  5. Rudlin J, Cerniglia D, Scafidi M and Schneider C, 2014: ‘Inspection of laser powder deposited layers’. 11th European Conference on Non Destructive Testing (ECNDT), 6-10 October, Prague.
  6. Schneider C R A and Wintle J B, 2013: ‘Assessing the reliability of NDT – statistical and deterministic approaches’. Proc. TAGSI/FESI symposium ‘Structural Integrity of Nuclear Power Plant: learning from history and looking to the future’ held 9-10 April 2013, TWI. EMAS Publishing, Warrington. ISBN 978-0-9576730-1-4.
  7. Schneider C R A, Sanderson R M, Carpentier C, Zhao L and Nageswaran C, 2012: ‘Estimation of probability of detection curves based on theoretical simulation of the inspection process’. Proc. 2012 Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Daventry).
  8. Holtam C M, Schneider C R A and Slater G, 2012: ‘Best practice guidance for evaluating knock-down factors in corrosive environments’. ASME 31st Int. Conf. on Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering (OMAE), June 10-15, Rio de Janeiro, Paper 83399. ISBN 978-0-7918-4493-9.
  9. Schneider C R A, 2009: ‘Application of Extreme Value Analysis to corrosion mapping data’. 4th European-American Workshop on Reliability of NDE, Berlin, 24-26 June.
  10. Rudlin J R, Muhammed A and Schneider C R A, 2006: ‘Inspection reliability and periodicity for rail axle inspection’. Proc. 9th European Conference on Non-Destructive Testing, Berlin, 25-29 September. http://www.ndt.net/article/ecndt2006/doc/Fr.1.3.2.pdf.
  11. Schneider C R A and Kleiner D, 2005: ‘Validation of CIVA software’. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Harrogate).
  12. Rudlin J R, Schneider C R A and Razmjoo G R, 2004: ‘Reliability of inspection for root flaws in riser girth welds’. OMAE 2004 (Vancouver), Paper 51523.
  13. Wintle J B, Muhammed A and Schneider C R A, 2001: ‘New TWI Research on the reliability of welded structures’. 27 MPA Seminar – 4/5 October.
  14. Rudlin J R and Schneider C R A, 2000: ‘Guidelines for the sampling inspection of pitting corrosion’. Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Buxton).
  15. Georgiou G A and Schneider C R A, 2001: ‘Reliability of radiography of thin section welds’. Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Coventry).
  16. Dolby R E, Munns I J, Schneider C R A and Leggatt R H, 2000: ‘Welds, their quality and inspection capability for high integrity structures and components’. Chapter 3 of Proc. TAGSI symposium ‘Fracture, plastic flow and structural integrity’, 29 April 1999, TWI. IOM Communications. ISBN 1-86125-095-9. Also at http://www.twi.co.uk/technical-knowledge/published-papers/welds-their-quality-and-inspection-capability-for-high-integrity-structures-and-components-april-1999/?locale=en.
  17. Schneider C R A and Munns I J, 1999: ‘Improved models for the reliability of radiography of thick-section welds’. Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Poole).
  18. Chapman R K, Woodcock G S, Munns I J, Schneider C R A, Georgiou G A and Wooldridge A B, 1999: ‘Recent experimental studies on radiographic capability on thick-section welds’. Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT (Poole).
  19. Munns I J and Schneider C R A, 1999: ‘The reliability of radiography of thick-section welds’. Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE Vol.19B, Montreal, 25-30 July.
  20. Chapman R K, Woodcock G S, Schneider C R A, Munns I J, Georgiou G A and Wooldridge A B, 1999: ‘Recent experimental and theoretical studies on radiographic capability on thick-section welds’. BInstNDT seminar ‘Industrial Radiography into the Next Millennium’, 18.3.99.
  21. Schneider C R A, Munns I J, Georgiou G A, Chapman R K and Woodcock G S: ‘Modelling the radiography of thick section welds’. 1999 IEE colloquium ‘New applications in modelling and inversion techniques for NDT’ and Proc. 1998 Annual British Conference on NDT (Newcastle).
  22. Crutzen S, Fabbri L, Schneider C, Stacey A and Visser P, 1998: ‘Compilation of component inspection reliability data in the SINTAP project’. OMAE ‘98, Lisbon.
  23. Chapman R K, D. Firth, Gould R F, Ogilvy J A, Schneider C R A and Temple J A G, 1992: ‘PISC III Action 6 - ultrasonic modelling’. Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT, Cambridge.
  24. Chapman R K, Rothwell J G, Schneider C R A and Toft M W, 1992: ‘Ultrasonic response of rough defects - a ‘triangular facet’ model and its verification’.  Nuclear Electric report TD/IRB/REP/0685.  Accepted for 5th Euro. NDT Conf. (Sarajevo) and published in Proc. Annual Br. Conf. on NDT, Cambridge.
  25. Franklin S P, Lucas M and Schneider C R A, 1988: ‘Rough crack-like defects in NDT: their surface morphology and ultrasonic scattering’.  Proc. 4th Euro. NDT Conf. 1, pp800-806.

For more information please email:


contactus@twi.co.uk