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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 

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