Structural Health Monitoring Using Guided Ultrasonic Waves to Detect Damage in Composite Panels

In the aircraft industry safety, maintenance costs, and optimum weight are three of the most important factors to consider in design. Composite materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRPs), are increasingly used in aerospace applications due to their high strength to weight ratio. However, there are still many challenges to overcome in order to have full confidence in the use of composite structures. Specifically, composites have very different failure types and modes than traditional metal materials used in aircraft. This makes prediction of damage initiation and propagation difficult in practical application.