Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Detection of Damage in Aircraft Composites by Advanced Synergistic Infrared Thermography and Phased Array Techniques

Padiyar, Janardhan; Fragonara, Luca Zanotti; Petrunin, Ivan; Raposo, João; Tsourdos, Antonios; Gray, Iain; Farmaki, Spyridoyla; Exarchos, Dimitrios A.; Matikas, Theodore E.; Dassios, Konstantinos G.

doi:10.3390/app11062778

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 28 publications

(38 reference statements)

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“…A higher frequency probe offers superior axial resolution across the thickness with a lower Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR), due to the blind zone effect of the surface. 17 Sprays of water were used as couplant to move the probe across the surface of the sample, and an encoder followed the probe to measure how far it moved. A-scan in signal form, B-scan images in cross-sectional form, and top-view C-scan images containing depth information are all included in the PAUT data.…”

Section: Ultrasonic Inspectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced defect identification by image fusion of infrared thermography and ultrasonic phased array inspection techniques

Torbali¹,

Alhammad²,

Zolotas³

et al. 2023

Thermosense: Thermal Infrared Applications XLV

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Non-destructive testing applications are one of the most crucial steps in maintaining aviation activities in a profitable and timely manner. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a functional technique that uses the thermal radiation/temperature relationship on the inspected structure to ensure efficient detection, in particular when the defect is on a surface or near the surface. Ultrasonic (UT) inspection is an alternative technique that uses the propagation of ultrasound waves into the inspected material for defect detection. While IRT suffers from detectability problems with the increasing structure thickness, UT has inspection limitations on the surface or near-surface area according to applied frequency. Overcoming these limitations of individual methods with the synergistic effect of the fusion approach might provide more precise and apparent marks for defect detection. In this study, decision-level fusion has been applied using the maximum fusion rule to combine unimodal inspection data and compare. Impact-defected Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composite structures have been chosen to represent aerospace structures. The results show the proposed fusion approach is promising in terms of identifying defect location, size and depth to inform further stages such as repair.

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Section: Ultrasonic Inspectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced defect identification by image fusion of infrared thermography and ultrasonic phased array inspection techniques

Torbali¹,

Alhammad²,

Zolotas³

et al. 2023

Thermosense: Thermal Infrared Applications XLV

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show abstract

“…Ultrasonic inspection of these composite samples was performed by Sonatest Veo+ equipment and a 10 MHz phased array probe, including 64 element transducer with an appropriate wedge for ultrasonic wave transfer to the sample. The higher frequency probe provides better axial resolution through the thickness with the lower Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) due to the blind zone effect of the surface than the lower frequency probe [14]. The probe was moved on the surface of the sample, using sprayed water as a coupling mechanism, and an encoder followed the probe to measure the scanning distance.…”

Section: Phased Array Ultrasonic Inspectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fusion Insights from Ultrasonic and Thermographic Inspections for Impact Damage Analysis

Torbali

Alhammad

Zolotas

et al. 2023

AIAA AVIATION 2023 Forum

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Low energy impact damage in composite materials may be more concerning than it appears visually, often requiring a detailed examination for accurate assessment to ensure safe and sustainable operation. Non-destructive testing (NDT) methods provide such inspection techniques, and in this paper, NDT-based fusion is explored for enhanced identification of defect size and location compared to indepdently using individual NDT methods separately. Three Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) specimens are examined, each with an impact damage of a given energy level, using pulsed thermography (PT) and phased array (PA) ultrasonic methods. Following the extraction of binary defect shapes from source images, a decision-level fusion approach is performed. The results indicate that combining ultrasonic and infrared thermography (IRT) inspections for CFRP composite materials is promising to achieve enhanced and improved detection traceability.

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“…Since BVID remains a serious problem for the operation of composite elements and structures in numerous industrial branches, a variety of NDT techniques were adjusted to detect this type of damage. Taking into account the practical reasons, the detection and localization of BVID is performed primarily using ultrasonic testing (UT), infrared thermography (IRT), and guided waves (GWs) [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16], less often acoustic emission (AE), shearography, and other NDT technqiues [8,[17][18][19]. The mentioned techniques are characterized by various sensitivity to BVID, resolution of the obtained results, and other parameters, but are usually selected for inspection because of their simplicity of application.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Classification of Cracks in Composite Structures Subjected to Low-Velocity Impact Using Distribution-Based Segmentation and Wavelet Analysis of X-ray Tomograms

Wronkowicz-Katunin

Katunin

Nagode

et al. 2021

Sensors

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The problem of characterizing the structural residual life is one of the most challenging issues of the damage tolerance concept currently applied in modern aviation. Considering the complexity of the internal architecture of composite structures widely applied for aircraft components nowadays, as well as the additional complexity related to the appearance of barely visible impact damage, prediction of the structural residual life is a demanding task. In this paper, the authors proposed a method based on detection of structural damage after low-velocity impact loading and its classification with respect to types of acting stress on constituents of composite structures using the developed processing algorithm based on segmentation of 3D X-ray computed tomograms using the rebmix package, real-oriented dual-tree wavelet transform and supporting image processing procedures. The presented algorithm allowed for accurate distinguishing of defined types of damage from X-ray computed tomograms with strong robustness to noise and measurement artifacts. The processing was performed on experimental data obtained from X-ray computed tomography of a composite structure with barely visible impact damage, which allowed better understanding of fracture mechanisms in such conditions. The gained knowledge will allow for a more accurate simulation of structural damage in composite structures, which will provide higher accuracy in predicting structural residual life.

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Fast, Accurate, and Reliable Detection of Damage in Aircraft Composites by Advanced Synergistic Infrared Thermography and Phased Array Techniques

Cited by 9 publications

References 28 publications

Enhanced defect identification by image fusion of infrared thermography and ultrasonic phased array inspection techniques

Enhanced defect identification by image fusion of infrared thermography and ultrasonic phased array inspection techniques

Fusion Insights from Ultrasonic and Thermographic Inspections for Impact Damage Analysis

Classification of Cracks in Composite Structures Subjected to Low-Velocity Impact Using Distribution-Based Segmentation and Wavelet Analysis of X-ray Tomograms

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