Application of Dual Focused Ultrasonic Phased Array Transducer in Two Orthogonal Cross-Sections for Inspection of Multi-Layered Composite Components of the Aircraft Fuselage

Abstract

Our previous studies have shown that the application of the proposed technique of a dual focused ultrasonic beam in two orthogonal cross-sections in passive (elevation) and active (azimuth) apertures of linear ultrasonic phased array transducer (ULPAT) enhances the 3D spatial resolution in the case of the inspection of conventional defects (flat bottom holes) or measurement of thickness of multi-layered metal composites. The objective of this work is to apply the proposed technique to enhance the spatial resolution of the ULPAT in the cases of detection and sizing demonstration of internal defects possessing spatially complex geometry, and during the inspection of defective multi-layered thin composite components (e.g., GLARE) of the aircraft fuselage. The specially prepared aluminium specimen possessing an internal defect of complicated geometry (crescent-shaped) was investigated. The simulation results and experiments demonstrate the resolution enhancement, higher amplitude of the reflections (e.g., 2.5 times or +8 dB) and spatial improvement in the defect detection even in the case of the non-perpendicular incidence of ultrasonic waves to the complex geometry surface of the internal defect. During the experiments, the multi-layered GFRP-metal based composite sample GLARE 3-3/2 was investigated in the case of the single-side access to the surface of the sample. The internal artificial delamination type defect of 25 mm was detected with a higher accuracy. Compared to the limitations of conventional ULPAT, the relative error (32%) (at the −6 dB level) of lateral defect dimensions estimation was completely reduced.