Locating and Imaging Fiber Breaks in CFRP Using Guided Wave Tomography and Eddy Current Testing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Non-Destructive Testing
• Structural Health Monitoring

Background:

• Carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites are susceptible to fiber breaks, compromising structural integrity.
• Accurate detection and evaluation of fiber breaks are crucial for CFRP safety and maintenance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a combined guided Lamb wave tomography and eddy current testing (ECT) approach for locating and evaluating fiber breaks in CFRP.
• To enhance the precision of damage assessment in CFRP structures.

Main Methods:

• Guided wave testing (GWT) and computed tomography (CT) imaging were used for rapid fiber break localization.
• Signal processing techniques (wavelet, Hilbert transforms) and statistical functions (skewness, kurtosis) extracted features from B-scans.
• Image fusion techniques combined information from multiple reconstructed images.
• Eddy current testing (ECT) with a double excitation probe evaluated fiber break condition using C-scans.

Main Results:

• The combined GWT and CT approach successfully located fiber breaks in CFRP plates.
• Image fusion provided complementary information for more accurate damage assessment.
• ECT C-scans effectively evaluated the condition of the identified fiber breaks.

Conclusions:

• The integrated guided Lamb wave tomography and ECT method offers a robust solution for detecting and characterizing fiber breaks in CFRP.
• This technique enhances the capabilities of structural health monitoring for composite materials.