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High-Resolution Ultrasound to Quantify Sub-Surface Wrinkles in a Woven CFRP Laminate
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 11, 2024
Summary
This study introduces a non-destructive method to extract the 3D geometry of wrinkled carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites layer by layer. The technique accurately characterizes wrinkle height and intensity in composite materials, crucial for aerospace and automotive applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Non-Destructive Testing
- Composite Materials Engineering
Background:
- Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites offer excellent mechanical properties but are susceptible to performance degradation from internal wrinkles.
- Wrinkles in thick composite structures, common in aerospace and wind power, compromise structural integrity and mechanical performance.
- Accurate characterization of these geometric distortions is essential for ensuring the safety and reliability of CFRP components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present a non-destructive method for extracting the 3D geometry of individual laminae within a wrinkled CFRP composite.
- To introduce a technique for fabricating consistent, out-of-plane wrinkled CFRP laminate panels that simulate in-service defects.
- To establish a method for characterizing wrinkle features, including height and intensity, within each lamina.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of CFRP laminate panels with embedded, out-of-plane wrinkles using a wet layup process and hot press curing.
- Acquisition of ultrasonic (UT) scan data using a conventional single-element transducer in an immersion tank scanning system.
- Extraction of individual lamina geometries by tracking voltage peaks in time-domain A-scans and applying spatial Gaussian averaging.
Main Results:
- Successful extraction of individual lamina geometries from UT scan data of fabricated wrinkled CFRP coupons.
- Characterization of wrinkle features, specifically spatially varying wrinkle height and intensity, within each lamina.
- Validation of the extracted wrinkle geometry against anticipated patterns and presentation of a single parameter for wrinkle intensity quantification.
Conclusions:
- The presented non-destructive method effectively extracts and characterizes the 3D geometry of laminae in wrinkled CFRP composites.
- The technique allows for detailed analysis of wrinkle features, crucial for understanding their impact on material performance.
- This approach provides a valuable tool for quality control and structural integrity assessment in industries utilizing thick CFRP structures.
