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

Abstract

In this paper, guided Lamb wave tomography and eddy current testing (ECT) techniques were combined to locate and evaluate fiber breaks in carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) structures. Guided wave testing (GWT) and computed tomography (CT) imaging were employed to quickly locate fiber breaks in the CFRP plate. From B-scans performed along two different fiber orientations (0 and 90 degrees), parallel-beam projections of different features were extracted from the guided wave signals, using signal-processing techniques (such as wavelet and Hilbert transforms) and statistical functions (such as skewness and kurtosis). The parallel-beam projections of each individual feature were used as input in computed tomography imaging reconstruction to approximately estimate the location of fiber breaks. From the obtained reconstructed images, image-fusion techniques were applied to get complementary information from multiple source images into one single image. After locating the fiber breaks, C-scans were performed in the vicinity of the damage, using an ECT probe with double excitation configuration to evaluate the condition of the fiber break.