Application of infrared thermography for the characterization of damage in braided carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites

The focus of this study is to assess, using infrared thermography, the fatigue behavior and the corresponding damage states of a textile polymeric composite plate, as a prerequisite step in the development of damage based life prediction models for such advanced composite materials. Monotonic (quasi-static) loading test results confirmed that the dominant damage mechanism is cracking in the braider yarns, which was monitored using thermographic images and confirmed by edge replication microscopic observations. Fatigue results confirmed that the saturation of braider yarn cracks during cyclic loading corresponded to changes in the stiffness degradation rate as well as the surface temperature profile. This was confirmed by edge replication and scanning electron microscopic analysis. The reported results and observations provide an important step in the validation of thermography as a powerful non-destructive evaluation tool for monitoring the development of fatigue damage as well as predicting the damage states of laminated composite materials in general, and braided polymeric composite materials in particular.     

Monitoring of multiaxial fatigue damage evolution in impacted composite tubes using non-destructive evaluation

Damage evolution in wound glass fibre reinforced tubes due to impact (8.4 J and 14 J) and subsequent biaxial cyclic loading is studied. Nominally defect-free and impact damaged specimens are compared to investigate the effect of the impact damage on the fatigue life of multiaxial composites. Non-destructive inspection (air-coupled guided waves, thermography, high-speed photography, and microscopy) is applied to a subset of tubes. Air-coupled guided wave scans for characterisation of the delaminations due to impact agree well with visual inspection. Decline in guided wave velocity is consistent to a decrease in stiffness caused by fatigue damage. Using thermal imaging the impact is detectable during cyclic loading. Strong anomalies of the surface temperature in the vicinity of the impact at the end of the fatigue life correspond to the initiation spot of final failure observed by high-speed imaging. The considerable effect of impact damage on the durability of the specimens is discussed.     

Multiaxial fatigue behaviour of GFRP with evenly distributed or accumulated voids monitored by various NDT methodologies

The effect of evenly distributed voids (dv) and regions of large accumulated voids (lav) on damage evolution and fatigue life during biaxial cyclic loading is studied. Various non-destructive test methods (thermography, microscopy and optical fracture analysis with high-speed photography) are presented for monitoring the void formation, multiaxial fatigue damage mechanisms and final failure process in glass-fibre reinforced plastics (GFRPs) manufactured by a filament winding machine. In addition, air-coupled guided wave measurements (non-contact and single-sided configuration) are applied to a subset of composite tubes for detection of voids and for observing the development of fatigue damages initiated by voids. Thermal imaging during cyclic loading reveals large accumulated voids as well. Variations of stiffness degradation, matrix cracking and guided wave velocities caused by finely distributed or accumulated voids are shown. Finally, the detrimental effect of the two types of porosity on the durability of multiaxially loaded composites is illustrated.     

Degradation in fatigue behavior of carbon fiber–vinyl ester based composites due to sea environment

This study focuses on the effect of confined and one sided sea water confinement on the cyclic fatigue behavior of carbon fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites that serve as facings materials for naval sandwich structures. Experimental results for facings yielded failures under much lower number of cycles when fatigued under immersed conditions surrounded by sea water than in air. Water penetrates the matrix resin through diffusion and fiber/matrix interface by capillary action through micro-cracks or inter-layer delaminations. During fatigue loading, its inability to drain during the downward (compressive) cyclic loading and the near incompressibility of water induces an internal pore water pressures which dominates the progressive failure mechanism. Sea water induced fatigue degradation data and resulting microstructure changes are obtained using high resolution X-ray micro-tomography along with the implications for marine composites.     

Compressive damage mechanism of GFRP composites under off-axis loading: Experimental and numerical investigations

Experimental and computational studies of the microscale mechanisms of damage formation and evolution in unidirectional glass fiber reinforced polymer composites (GFRP) under axial and off-axis compressive loading are carried out. A series of compressive testing of the composites with different angles between the loading vector and fiber direction were carried out under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in situ observation. The damage mechanisms as well as stress strain curves were obtained in the experiments. It was shown that the compressive strength of composites drastically reduces when the angle between the fiber direction and the loading vector goes from 0° to 45° (by 2.3–2.6 times), and then slightly increases (when the angle approaches 80–90°). At the low angles between the fiber and the loading vector, fiber buckling and kinking are the main mechanisms of fiber failure. With increasing the angle between the fiber and applied loading, failure of glass fibers is mainly controlled by shear cracking. For the computational analysis of the damage mechanisms, 3D multifiber unit cell models of GFRP composites and X-FEM approach to the fracture modeling were used. The computational results correspond well to the experimental observations.     

An investigation of the damage mechanisms and fatigue life diagrams of flax fiber-reinforced polymer laminates

In this paper we investigated the fatigue damage of a unidirectional flax-reinforced epoxy composite using infrared (IR) thermography. Two configurations of flax/epoxy composites layup were studied namely, [0]₁₆ unidirectional ply orientation and [±45]₁₆. The high cycle fatigue strength was determined using a thermographic criterion developed in a previous study. The fatigue limit obtained by the thermographic criterion was confirmed by the results obtained through conventional experimental methods (i.e., Stress level versus Number of cycles to failure). Furthermore, a model for predicting the fatigue life using the IR thermography was evaluated. The model was found to have a good predictive value for the fatigue life. In order to investigate the mechanism of damage initiation in flax/epoxy composites and the damage evolution, during each fatigue test we monitored the crack propagation for a stress level and at different damage stages, a direct correlation between the percentage of cracks and the mean strain was observed.     

Quantification of flexural fatigue life and 3D damage in carbon fibre reinforced polymer laminates

Carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminated composites have become attractive in the application of wind turbine blade structures. The cyclic load in the blades necessitates the investigation on the flexural fatigue behaviour of CFRP laminates. In this study, the flexural fatigue life of the [+45/−45/0]_2s CFRP laminates was determined and then analysed statistically. X-ray microtomography was conducted to quantitatively characterise the 3D fatigue damage. It was found that the fatigue life data can be well represented by the two-parameter Weibull distribution; the life can be reliably predicted as a function of applied deflections by the combined Weibull and Sigmodal models. The delamination at the interfaces in the 1st ply group is the major failure mode for the flexural fatigue damage in the CFRP laminate. The calculated delamination area is larger at the interfaces adjacent to the 0 ply. The delamination propagation mechanism is primarily matrix/fibre debonding and secondarily matrix cracking.     

Damage evolution and real-time non-destructive evaluation of 2D carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composites under fatigue loading

Electrical resistance acquisition, acoustic emission (AE) monitoring and infrared thermography were employed to evaluate damage evolution of 2D carbon-fiber/SiC-matrix composite under fatigue loading. Damage evolution was discussed on the basis of the calculation results of the modulus and mechanical hysteresis variation. At lower stress levels, the majority of damage was produced in the first few cycles and then the rate of damage accumulation gradually approached a steady value as the cycles proceeded. When the applied stress exceeded the endurance fatigue limit, extensive damage took place and led to failure of the composite. Changes of composite electrical resistance, AE activity and surface temperature had fairly well agreement with the modulus and hysteresis responses. It can be concluded that it is possible to employ these real-time non-destructive evaluation methods as in-situ damage evolution indicators for this kind of composites under fatigue loading.     

Fatigue damage behaviors of carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy composites containing nanoclay

The effects of nanoclay inclusion on cyclic fatigue behavior and residual properties of carbon fiber-reinforced composites (CFRPs) after fatigue have been studied. The tension–tension cyclic fatigue tests are conducted at various load levels to establish the S-N curve. The residual strength and modulus are measured at different stages of fatigue cycles. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and scanning acoustic microscopy (SAM) are employed to characterize the underlying fatigue damage mechanisms and progressive damage growth. The incorporation of nanoclay into CFRP composites not only improves the mechanical properties of the composite in static loading, but also the fatigue life for a given cyclic load level and the residual mechanical properties after a given period of cyclic fatigue. The corresponding fatigue damage area is significantly reduced due to nanoclay. Nanoclay serves to suppress and delay delamination damage growth and eventual failure by improving the fiber/matrix interfacial bond and through the formation of nanoclay-induced dimples.     

Effects of fiber–matrix interaction on multiple cracking performance of polymeric fiber reinforced cementitious composites

The effects of polymeric fiber addition on the multiple cracking performance of composites have been investigated. For this purpose, cement-based matrices incorporating fly ash and a latex emulsion have been designed. Prismatic samples have been prepared and subjected to four-point bending load. The load-midpoint deflection curves and crack patterns have been determined. Meanwhile, flexural strength and relative toughness values have been calculated. Finally, the number of visible cracks formed throughout the testing period has been analyzed.Test results showed that the toughening improvement mechanisms of PP and PVA fibers in a cement-based matrix are extremely different and matrix modifications significantly change the multiple cracking performance. The addition of a latex emulsion in a weak matrix decreased the multiple cracking tendency of PP fiber reinforced composites. However, the same modification attempt improved the multiple cracking capacity of weak matrix in case of PVA fiber reinforcement. The possible causes of this performance improvement have been discussed with the aid of microstructure investigations.     

Void formation in metal matrix composites by solidification and shrinkage of an AlSi7 matrix between densely packed particles

Particle reinforced metals are developed as heat sink materials for advanced thermal management applications. Metal matrix composites combine the high thermal conductivity of a metal with a low coefficient of thermal expansion of ceramic reinforcements. SiC and carbon diamond particle reinforced aluminum offer suitable thermal properties for heat sink applications. These composites are produced by liquid metal infiltration of a densely packed particle preform. Wettability, interface bonding strength and thermal mismatch are critical for void formation which leads to thermal fatigue damage under operation. The evolution of voids in AlSiC and AlCD has been studied by in-situ high resolution synchrotron tomography during matrix solidification. Large irregularly shaped matrix voids form during eutectic solidification. These voids help alleviate thermal expansion mismatch stresses by visco-plastic matrix deformation during cooling to RT after solidification, if sufficient interface bonding strength is assumed.     

上浆量对碳纤维的立体织造损伤及其复合材料拉伸性能的影响

结合立体织造技术和树脂传递模塑(RTM)工艺制备了不同上浆量国产碳纤维的2.5D经向增强复合材料。使用毛羽测试法、复丝拉伸法及SEM分析了不同上浆量预制织物中经纱、衬经纱和纬纱的织造损伤情况。结果表明:碳纤维织造损伤率随着上浆量的增加而减小;2.5D经向增强复合材料中纱线的损伤率大小依次为纬纱、经纱、衬经纱。复合材料拉伸性能测试结果表明:当国产碳纤维上浆量为2.01%时,2.5D经向增强复合材料的性能最佳。     

Carbon nanotube reinforced hybrid composites: Computational modeling of environmental fatigue and usability for wind blades

The potential of advanced carbon/glass hybrid reinforced composites with secondary carbon nanotube reinforcement for wind energy applications is investigated here with the use of computational experiments. Fatigue behavior of hybrid as well as glass and carbon fiber reinforced composites with and without secondary CNT reinforcement is simulated using multiscale 3D unit cells. The materials behavior under both mechanical cyclic loading and combined mechanical and environmental loading (with phase properties degraded due to the moisture effects) is studied. The multiscale unit cells are generated automatically using the Python based code. 3D computational studies of environment and fatigue analyses of multiscale composites with secondary nano-scale reinforcement in different material phases and different CNTs arrangements are carried out systematically in this paper. It was demonstrated that composites with the secondary CNT reinforcements (especially, aligned tubes) present superior fatigue performances than those without reinforcements, also under combined environmental and cyclic mechanical loading. This effect is stronger for carbon composites, than for hybrid and glass composites.     

Evaluation of long-term durability in high temperature resistant CFRP laminates under thermal fatigue loading

Thermal fatigue tests were conducted on high temperature resistant carbon fiber reinforced plastics cross-ply laminates to evaluate microscopic damage progress which affects macroscopic mechanical behavior of the laminates. Materials system used were thermoplastic polyetheretherketone based, AS4/PEEK and thermoset bismaleimide based, G40-800/5260. Several types of laminate configuration were used to clarify the effect of ply thickness on microscopic damage progress. Microscopic damages were observed using optical microscopy and soft X-ray radiography. Energy release rate associated with transverse cracking was calculated using variational analysis. The modified Paris law was used to predict transverse cracking. From comparison to mechanical fatigue test results, it is clarified that transverse crack accumulation rate was larger under thermal fatigue loading at same energy release rate range due to the dependence of the fracture toughness on temperature.     

正交复合材料层板在静态与拉—拉疲劳下的损伤破坏

本文研究了正交铺层([0/90]s)碳纤维增强环氧复合材料在静态与拉—拉疲劳下的损伤破坏,探讨了它的破坏机理。通过采用显微观测,声发射技术及红外热象分析等多种手段测试其力学性能、损伤的产生和扩展,得到了不同加载条件下材料微结构的损伤断裂与声发射表征量及温度变化的关系。声发射累积量的突然增大可预报材料的断裂,温升的大小可供判别材料损伤的部位和程度。     

Crack‐Tip Stress Field and Fatigue Crack Growth Monitoring Using Infrared Lock‐In Thermography in A359/SiCp Composites

Abstract: This paper deals with the study of fracture behaviour of silicon carbide particle‐ reinforced aluminium alloy matrix composites (A359/SiCp) using an innovative non‐destructive method based on lock‐in thermography. The heat wave, generated by the thermo‐mechanical coupling and the intrinsic energy dissipated during mechanical cyclic loading of the sample, was detected by an infrared camera. The coefficient of thermo‐elasticity allows for the transformation of the temperature profiles into stresses. A new procedure was developed to determine the crack growth rate using thermographic mapping of the material undergoing fatigue. The thermographic results on the crack growth rate of A359/SiCp composite samples with three different heat treatments were correlated with measurements obtained by the conventional compliance method. The results obtained by the two methods were found to be in agreement, demonstrating that lock‐in thermography is a powerful tool for fracture mechanics studies. The paper also investigates the effect of heat treatment processing of metal matrix composites on their fracture properties.     

Dissipated thermal energy and damage evolution of Glass/Epoxy using infrared thermography and acoustic emission

In this paper, we present an experimental approach for characterizing energy dissipation and degradation evolution in a woven Glass/Epoxy (G10/FR4) laminate subjected to fully reversed bending fatigue test. During cyclic loading, a fraction of the input mechanical energy is converted to thermal energy, which results in an increase in the temperature of the specimen. By analyzing the surface temperature and its drop rate after halting the cyclic operation, the dissipated thermal energy (DTE) is estimated. Infrared thermography is used to assess the temperature evolution and to various damage states. Acoustic emission is also utilized to corroborate the thermography results in characterizing the degradation progression. The results of these two non-intrusive techniques show similar evolutionary response revealing the existence of degradation stages. Using calculated DTE, a damage growth model is developed that appropriately characterizes the three damage phases during fatigue process of Glass/Epoxy.     

碳纤维三维角联锁机织复合材料弯曲作用下力阻响应

电阻法在碳纤维复合材料结构健康监测(SHM)中具有巨大应用前景。本文研究了碳纤维三维角联锁机织复合材料经向和纬向试件在弯曲作用下力-电阻响应,探究电阻变化与复合材料结构损伤的相关性。试验结果表明：经向和纬向试件在弯曲作用下电阻变化与试件主要承载纱线损伤情况具有相关性。准静态三点弯曲加载下,试件电阻变化可以反映试件承载能力变化：在最大载荷点之前,试件电阻基本不变;主要承载纱线发生断裂损伤时,电阻增加。弯曲疲劳加载下,试件电阻变化可以反映试件承载能力退化情况：在弯曲疲劳加载前期,三维角联锁机织复合材料呈现负压阻效应;随着循环次数增加,基体裂纹、界面脱粘等不可逆损伤不断累积,电阻缓慢增大;在弯曲疲劳加载后期,主要承载纱线断裂,电阻显著增加;试件最终疲劳失效时,电阻急剧增加。     

A comparative study of failure features in aerospace grade unidirectional and bidirectional woven CFRP composite laminates under four‐point bend fatigue loads

Damage mechanisms in unidirectional (UD) and bi‐directional (BD) woven carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates subjected to four point flexure, both in static and fatigue loadings, were studied. The damage progression in composites was monitored by observing the slopes of the load vs. deflection data that represent the stiffness of the given specimen geometry over a number of cycles. It was observed that the unidirectional composites exhibit gradual loss in stiffness whereas the bidirectional woven composites show a relatively quicker loss during stage II of fatigue damage progression. Both, the static and the fatigue failures in unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites originates due to generation of cracks on compression face while in bidirectional woven composites the damage ensues from both the compression and the tensile faces. These observations are supported by a detailed fractographic analysis.     

In situ monitoring in real time of fatigue-induced damage growth in composite materials by acoustography

There are growing concerns about the effects of accidental impact damage on the structural integrity of aerospace composites and about the possible growth of the damage due to in-service fatigue. There has been some success in the use of established methods (ultrasonic C-scan, thermography, X-rays) to monitor damage development during fatigue experiments by interrupting a test and removing the specimen for damage inspection but this stop-and-restart test procedure is far from satisfactory. Real-time damage monitoring in composite materials during fatigue has now become possible by the emergence of a new ultrasonic imaging technology, acoustography. The successful integration of acoustography and a servo-hydraulic fatigue test machine has resulted in a new measurement system which can be used for the in situ monitoring in real time of damage growth in composite specimens during long-term fatigue tests. Results are presented which show damage-area growth during fatigue cycling under high compressive loads. After an initial small enlargement (stage 1), damage grows at a constant rate (stage 2) until the third stage is reached when there is further growth at an increasing rate to final failure. However, a ‘fatigue limit’ has also been observed. At stresses below this fatigue limit, a zero damage-growth régime has been found in studies of >10⁶ fatigue cycles. The results obtained have important implications for the understanding of the effects of damage on fatigue life and for the design of ‘safe’ damage-tolerant structures.