Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-fbnjt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T00:18:40.284Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Active sensing of impact damage in composite sandwich panels by low frequency Lamb waves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 February 2016

C. Soutis
Affiliation:
Aerospace Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
K. Diamanti
Affiliation:
Aerospace Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK

Abstract

The development of a robust non-destructive system to detect and monitor the extent of damage in carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) during service life is a key problem in many practical applications, especially in the aircraft industry. The lack of such technique has severely limited the potentially extensive use of composite materials. In this study a cost and time effective inspection strategy for in-service health monitoring of composites is demonstrated using the fundamental anti-symmetric A0 Lamb mode at frequencies of 15-20kHz. In principle, this method involves analysis of the transmitted and/or reflected wave after interacting with the test-piece boundaries or discontinuities (defects). In the present work, the applicability of the technique to composite sandwich structures is explored and defects of critical size are successfully detected.

Type
Technical note
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2008 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bar-Cohen, Y., Emerging NDE technologies and challenges at the beginning of the 3rd Millennium – Part II, NDT.net, 5, (2), (2000), pp 110.Google Scholar
2. Worlton, D.C., Ultrasonic testing with Lamb waves, NonDestructive Testing, 15, (4), 1957, pp 218222.Google Scholar
3. Cawley, P., The rapid non-destructive inspection of large composite structures, Composites, 1994, 25, (5), pp 351357.Google Scholar
4. Guo, N. and Lim, M.K., Lamb waves propagation in aluminium honeycomb structures, Review of progress in quantitative nondestructive evaluation, Thompson, D.O. and Chimenti, D.E., New York, USA, Plenum Press, 15, 1996, pp 323330.Google Scholar
5. Lamb, H., On waves in an elastic plate, proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 1917, pp 114128.Google Scholar
6. Percival, W.J. and Birt, E.A., A study of lamb wave propagation in carbon-fibre composites, Insight, 1997, 39, (10), pp 728735.Google Scholar
7. Bourasseau, N., Moulin, E., Delebarre, C. and Bonniau, P., Radome health monitoring with lamb waves: experimental approach, NDT&E International, 2000, 33, (6), pp 393400.Google Scholar
8. Diaz Valdés, S.H. and Soutis, C., Real-time nondestructive evaluation of fibre composite laminates using low-frequency lamb waves, J. Acoust Soc Am, 2002, 111, (5), pp 20262033.Google Scholar
9. Osmont, D., Devillers, D. and Taillade, F., Health monitoring of sandwich plates based on the analysis of the interaction of Lamb waves with damages, Proceedings of SPIE Smart Structures and Material 2001: Smart structures and integrated systems, Davis, L.P., SPIE, 4327, 2001, pp 290301.Google Scholar
10. Kessler, S.S., Spearing, S.M. and Soutis, C., Damage detection in composite materials using Lamb wave methods, Smart Materials and Structures, 2002, 11, (2), pp 269278.Google Scholar
11. Diamanti, K., Soutis, C. and Hodgkinson, J.M., Lamb waves for the non-destructive inspection of monolithic and sandwich composite beams. Composites A, 2005, 36, (2), pp 189195.Google Scholar
12. Diamanti, K., Soutis, C. and Hodgkinson, J.M., Piezoelectric transducer arrangement for the inspection of large composite structures. Composites A, 2007, 38, (4), pp 11211130.Google Scholar