Title: Delamination detection and impact damage assessment of GLARE by active thermography

Authors: Clemente Ibarra-Castanedo, Nicolas P. Avdelidis, Ermanno G. Grinzato, Paolo G. Bison, Sergio Marinetti, Claudiu Cochior Plescanu, Abdelhakim Bendada, Xavier P. Maldague

Addresses: Computer Vision and Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Universite Laval, Quebec City G1K 7P4, Canada. ' Materials Science and Engineering Section, School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens 157 80, Greece. ' Istituto per le Tecnologie della Costruzione – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ITC-CNR), Corso Stati Uniti, Padova 4-35127, Italy. ' Istituto per le Tecnologie della Costruzione – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ITC-CNR), Corso Stati Uniti, Padova 4-35127, Italy. ' Istituto per le Tecnologie della Costruzione – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (ITC-CNR), Corso Stati Uniti, Padova 4-35127, Italy. ' Computer Vision and Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Universite Laval, Quebec City G1K 7P4, Canada. ' Computer Vision and Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Universite Laval, Quebec City G1K 7P4, Canada. ' Computer Vision and Systems Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Universite Laval, Quebec City G1K 7P4, Canada

Abstract: GLAss REinforced (GLARE) is a fibre metal laminate (FML) consisting of alternating layers of thin aluminium and glass fibre reinforced prepregs, whose improved physical properties confer it an interesting advantage over aluminium and composite materials for a number of aerospace applications. On the other hand, contrary to monolithic structures, GLARE can suffer from internal damage either during fabrication or in-serve stages. Non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) of GLARE is still a challenge, especially considering that large structures are typically sought (e.g., aircraft fuselage). In this paper, we investigated the use of infrared thermography for the inspection of GLARE. The experimental results presented herein demonstrate that it is possible to detect delamination-type defects and to assess the impact severity on GLARE through active thermography techniques, specifically pulsed thermography and vibrothermography. C-scan ultrasonic testing was performed as well with the intention of providing supplementary results.

Keywords: active thermography; GLARE composites; fibre metal laminates; FMLs; pulsed thermography; aluminium; vibrothermography; C-scan ultrasounds; impact damage; delamination detection; damage assessment; glass reinforced composites; aerospace applications; infrared thermography; GLARE inspection.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMPT.2011.040282

International Journal of Materials and Product Technology, 2011 Vol.41 No.1/2/3/4, pp.5 - 16

Published online: 28 Feb 2015 *

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