Application Of Thermography And Acoustic Emission To Detect Impact Damage In CFRP

The present paper deals with the assessment of damage evolution in a carbon fiber reinforced composite by means of two non-destructive experimental techniques, thermography and acoustic emission. In composite structures, indeed, it is important to detect presence of possible damages and their evolution during loading, in order to plan periodic inspections or verify structural integrity. With this aim, rectangular specimens are cut from laminated plates in undamaged and impacted conditions. Static tensile and bending tests are performed to evaluate variation in mechanical properties. During these tests, surface temperature is detected by infrared thermography and ultrasound signals are recorded by an acoustic emission equipment. Results from each technique are presented and their application to monitor damage in composite is discussed and compared.