Impact damage monitoring using broadband ultrasonic guided waves for CFRP mobility structures

Abstract

Barely visible impact damages (BVIDs) in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) mobility structures may seriously affect the safety of users. In this research, we attempted to establish a method to identify BVIDs in CFRP mobility structures. Using film-type actuators and sensors, changes in ultrasonic guided waves due to the damage were investigated in a broadband frequency range. As a result, we found that the delay time of the lowest antisymmetric (A₀) mode increases linearly with increasing damage size. Moreover, the amplitude of A₀ mode was found to be largely affected by the damage length in the wave propagation direction.