title: High resolution imaging of impacted CFRP composites with a fiber-optic laser-ultrasound scanner.
abstract: Damage induced in polymer composites by various impacts must be evaluated to predict a component's post-impact strength and residual lifetime, especially when impacts occur in structures related to human safety (in aircraft, for example). X-ray tomography is the conventional standard to study an internal structure with high resolution. However, it is of little use when the impacted area cannot be extracted from a structure. In addition, X-ray tomography is expensive and time-consuming. Recently, we have demonstrated that a kHz-rate laser-ultrasound (LU) scanner is very efficient both for locating large defects and evaluating the material structure. Here, we show that high-quality images of damage produced by the LU scanner in impacted carbon-fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are similar to those produced by X-ray tomograms; but they can be obtained with only single-sided access to the object under study. Potentially, the LU method can be applied to large components in-situ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Faculty of Physics, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation.
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pelivanov
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; AGH University of Science and Technology, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Łukasz
authors.initials: Ł
authors.lastname: Ambroziński
authors.affiliation: Composite Vehicle Research Center, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khomenko
authors.affiliation: Composite Vehicle Research Center, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Ermias G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Koricho
authors.affiliation: Composite Vehicle Research Center, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Cloud
authors.affiliation: Composite Vehicle Research Center, Michigan State University, Lansing, MI, USA; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Mahmoodul
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haq
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Donnell
keywords: Carbon fiber reinforced polymers; Composites; Fiber-optic pump-probe system; Impact damage; Laser ultrasound; Photoacoustics; X-ray tomography