Ultrasonic guided waves have proven to be attractive to the long-range testing of composite laminates. As complex-shaped composite components are increasingly incorporated in high-performance structures, understanding of both anisotropic and geometric effects on guided waves propagation is needed to evaluate their suitability for the non-destructive testing (NDT) of such complex structures. This paper reports the Semi-Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) simulations revealing the capability of energy confinement carried by two types of guided modes in 90° carbon fiber/epoxy (CF/EP) bends. Existence of the phenomenon is cross-validated by both 3D Finite Element (FE) modeling and experimental measurements. The physics of such energy trapping effect is explained in view of geometric variation and anisotropic properties, and the frequency effect on the extent of energy concentration is discussed. Finally, the feasibility of using such confined guided waves for rapid inspection of bent composite plate structures is also discussed. © 2016 Elsevier B.V.

Prabhu Rajagopal

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Anisotropy

carbon

Carbon fibers

finite element method

Guided electromagnetic wave propagation

Laminated composites

Nondestructive examination

Ultrasonic applications

Ultrasonic waves

Wave transmission

3D finite element model

Anisotropic property

COMPLEX SHAPES

composite laminate

Non destructive testing

PERFORMANCE STRUCTURES

SEMI-ANALYTICAL FINITE ELEMENT

ultrasonic guided wave

Ultrasonic testing

IIT Madras is a public technical and research university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Founded in 1959, it is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

IIT Madras has been ranked as the top engineering institute in India for four years in a row by the National Institutional Ranking Framework of the MHRD

It currently offers undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees across 16 disciplines in Engineering, Sciences, Humanities and Management. About 596 faculty belonging to science and engineering departments and centres of the Institute are engaged in teaching, research and industrial consultancy.

IIT Madras

Ultrasonics

Composite structures with bends are widely used in aerospace and industrial sectors. However health monitoring of such structures is challenging due to their complex topographical features. Recent literature shows that bends in composite laminates can confine and guide ultrasonic energy along their length, known as feature-guided waves (FGW). This article demonstrates a fiber Bragg grating based technique using FGW modes for defect detection and identification in bent composite laminates. In addition, the effects of defect depth and excitation frequency on the FGW mode reflection coefficient are reported using 3D finite element simulations. Physical insight into the reflection behavior is discussed based on an analysis of mode interaction with part-thickness cracks. © 2019 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Smart Materials and Structures

Fiber bragg grating based detection of part-thickness cracks in bent composite laminates using feature-guided waves

Recent literature shows that low-frequency ultrasonic guided waves experience mode confinement and loss of axi-symmetry in pipes with axially uniform features such as eccentricity. Considering extended wall loss as a case of uniform eccentricity, this paper proposes to monitor pipe integrity by measuring changes to the modal structure of low-frequency axisymmetric L(0,2) longitudinal guided waves. Fiber Bragg gratings are shown to be effective in detecting changes to L(0,2) modal characteristics, providing a novel route to health monitoring of pipe assets. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.

Monitoring pipe wall integrity using fiber Bragg grating-based sensing of low-frequency guided ultrasonic waves

Harnessing of ultrasonic guided waves confined in local features such as bends and welds, known as feature-guided waves, has emerged as a promising technique for non-destructive testing and structural health monitoring of industrial and aerospace structures. This article introduces a fiber Bragg grating based technique which uses feature-guided waves to detect anomalies or defects in plate structures with transverse bends. We are able to obtain good consistency between simulation and experimental results, both in the case of defect-free bent plates and those with transverse defects. Such results establish fiber Bragg gratings as a viable alternative to conventional techniques for structural health monitoring of bent plates. © 2016, © The Author(s) 2016.

Journal of Intelligent Material Systems and Structures

Feature-guided wave-based health monitoring of bent plates using fiber Bragg gratings

Antisymmetric and symmetric Lamb-type feature guided waves (FGW) have recently been shown to exist in small angle plate bends. This paper reports Semi-Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) method simulations revealing the existence of a new family of Shear Horizontal (SHB) type of FGW mode in 90° bends in plate structures. Mode shapes and velocity dispersion curves are extracted, demonstrating the SH-like nature of a bend-confined mode identified in studies of power flow across the bend. The SHB mode is shown to have reduced attenuation in the higher frequency range, making it an ideal choice for high-resolution inspection of such bends. Further modal studies examine the physical basis for mode confinement, and argue that this is strongly related to FGW phenomena reported earlier, and also linked to the curvature at the bend region. Wedge acoustic waves discussed widely in literature are shown as arising from surface-limiting of the SHB mode at higher frequencies. The results are validated by experiments and supported by 3D Finite Element (FE) simulations. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Shear horizontal feature guided ultrasonic waves in plate structures with 90° transverse bends

The authors have recently reported on the attractive properties of shear-horizontal type feature guided (SHB) waves for the inspection of 90° plate bends. Further to this, here the interaction of the SHB mode with transverse and longitudinal defects in the bend region is studied using 3D finite element simulations validated by experiments. Trends are discussed in light of the underlying wave mechanics principles. The results show that the SHB mode yields improved through-thickness defect resolution capabilities as compared to regular plate guided SH waves in view of mode confinement and higher frequencies used. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. Allrightsreserved.

NDT and E International

Interaction of shear horizontal bend (SHB) guided mode with defects

Recent research by the authors shows that bends in plates can act as features that can concentrate and guide ultrasonic energy along their axis. At low frequencies, two feature-guided modes are identified when the bent plate is subjected to 'in-plane' or axial excitation applied uniformly along a through-thickness line bisecting the bent edge. Of these, the slower mode has properties similar to the A0 (fundamental antisymmetric) Lamb mode in flat plates. This paper focuses on the faster bend-guided mode that is similar to the S0 (fundamental symmetric) Lamb mode in flat plates. Using 3D finite element (FE) simulation validated with experiments, this mode is shown to be more strongly generated in smaller angle bends. Features of the mode including velocity, attenuation and modal structure are considered in detailed studies. Results are discussed in light of simple modal studies using the Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) method, suggesting a relationship of bend-guided waves to modes of curved bars. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Symmetric low-frequency feature-guided ultrasonic waves in thin plates with transverse bends

This paper studies the influence of cross-section ovalness or ellipticity on lower order axisymmetric guided wave modes in thin pipes. The second longitudinal mode L(0,2) and the fundamental torsional mode T(0,1) are studied, as these are of interest to current pipe inspection. The semi-analytical finite element (FE) method is mainly used, with three-dimensional FE simulations for visualization and cross-validation of results. The studies reveal that even a small degree of ovalness can affect mode shapes and velocities. The effect is more pronounced on the L(0,2) mode than on T(0,1) and this may be important for practical inspection applications. © 2015 Acoustical Society of America.

Fulltext

Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

Ultrasonic guided waves in elliptical annular cylinders

The influence of bends constituting annular polygonal structures on ultrasonic guided waves propagating along their axis is investigated. Considering a single bend as a bent plate connects this problem to the better-understood physics of guided waves in straight plates. Using a three-dimensional finite element simulation validated with experiments, bends in plates are shown to act as features that can concentrate and guide ultrasonic energy along their length. Two interesting feature-guided modes are identified when the bent plate is subjected to "in-plane" or axial excitation applied uniformly along a through-thickness line bisecting the bent edge. Of these, the faster traveling mode has properties similar to, but travels at group velocities lower than, the S0 (fundamental symmetric) Lamb mode in flat plates. This paper however focuses on the slower bend-guided mode that is similar to the A0 (fundamental anti-symmetric) Lamb mode in flat plates. This mode is shown to be more strongly generated in smaller angle bends where it has a low attenuation. The results are discussed in light of simple modal studies performed using the Semi-Analytical Finite Element method. © 2013 Acoustical Society of America.

Journal	Data powered by TypesetUltrasonics
Publisher	Data powered by TypesetElsevier B.V.
ISSN	0041624X
Open Access	No