112

Proceedings of the National Seminar & Exhibition

on Non-Destructive Evaluation
NDE 2009, December 10-12, 2009

Detection of Interface Failure in a Composite Structural

T – Joint using Time of Flight
C. Ramadasa, Janardhan Padiyarb, Krishnan Balasubramaniamb, Makarand Joshia
and C. V. Krishnamurthyb
a
Composite Research Center, R&DE (E), DRDO, Dighi, Pune, India – 411 015
b
Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, Dept of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, India – 600
036

Abstract
In this paper a feasibility study using Time of Flight (ToF) technique of ultrasonic guided Lamb waves has been carried out, to quantify the
extent of interface delamination in a composite structural T–joint. An expression/equation for estimation of the extent of interface
delamination has been derived based on ToF and group velocities of primary anti-symmetric Lamb mode (Ao ). This expression requires base
line / healthy signal data for estimating the extent of delamination. The derived expression has been verified through numerical simulations
carried out on a composite structural T –joint. The lengths of delamination worked out by using the expression, were in concord with the
actual values.

1. Introduction locations in the structure. The simulation results were

validated through experimentation. Artificial Neural Network
Composite materials are extensively used in civil and (ANN) was used to determine the extent of damage. A real-
military structures, especially the aerospace industry. These time system was developed to detect the presence, location
materials have high specific strength, specific modulus and and extent of damage from the longitudinal strains. The data
corrosion resistance compared to metals. The damages that for the study was obtained from a set of sensors placed on
composites undergo are surface and sub-surface in nature. the surface of the structure.
This necessitates a better non-destructive evaluation (NDE) In the present paper a feasibility study has been carried
technique and also structural health monitoring (SHM). out, through numerical simulations, to quantify the interface
Manufacturing of complex structures using composites is delamination in a composite structural T – joint using ToF of
also a challenge compared to that of metals. Complex guided Lamb waves. In civil and aerospace industry,
structures in composites are fabricated separately and structures with T – joints (or T – joint like structures), shown
adhesively bonded together, to get the final component. in Fig. 1, are used for load bearing applications. The typical
Sometimes it is also possible to co-cure the sub-components sub-components in the T – section are flange, top skin and
to get the final structure.
Lamb waves are guided elastic waves propagated in
plate like structures [1]. As Lamb waves are characterized by
multi-mode propagation, when they encounter any
discontinuity in their propagation path, they get scattered
and may also generate new modes [2-3]. For implementing
Lamb wave based damage detection strategy, it is therefore
necessary to understand the nature of interaction of Lamb
waves with various defects and discontinuities in the
structure. Numerical modelling helps immensely in
understanding the wave interaction with defects and
discontinuities. Many studies have earlier been conducted
using the Finite Element (FE) technique, the finite strip
method, the global matrix approach etc. A survey on recent
numerical work is available in ref [4].
Kesavan et. al. [5] carried out a study on the strain
distribution of a GFRP T–joint structure under tensile pull-
loads and the determination of the presence and the extent
of disbonds. Numerical simulations using Finite Element
Method (FEM) have been conducted for various delamination
sizes, namely 30 mm, 60 mm and 90 mm, and at different Fig. 1 : Structure with T – joint
 NDE 2009, December 10-12,2009 113

Table 1 : Material properties

Material E11 (GPa) E22 (GPa) υ 13 υ 23 G13(GPa) ρ kg/m3
Glass/Epoxy 44.68 6.90 0.280 0.358 2.54 1990

the web as shown in Fig. 1. The junction of these three sub- The direction of excitation was in z-direction. It was assumed
components forms a structural discontinuity. This that transmitter (T) and receiver (R) were on thick and thin
discontinuity is a potential location at which interface regions respectively. The transmitter and receiver were placed
delamination may start. at a distance was 60 mm. Location of transmitter with
reference to origin (x = 0) was at 145 mm.
To start with it was assumed that there was no interface
2. Modeling of Lamb wave propagation delamination in the T – joint. A-scan obtained before
delamination occurred is shown in Fig. 3.
Lay up of each sub-component was assumed to be [0/ Arrival time of Ao mode in this A-scan acts as reference
90/0]. From this, the lay ups in thick and thin regions would time or baseline data. Interface delaminations of size 40 mm
work out to be [0/90/0/0/90/0] and [0/90/0] respectively. The and 30 mm were introduced in between the top skin and
specifications of the model selected for this study is shown flange. Numerical modeling was carried out and A-scan
in Fig. 2. The material used was glass / epoxy; the properties images obtained, when transmitter and receiver were placed
of which are delineated in Table 1. at 145 mm and 205 mm respectively from origin are shown in
Since it was assumed that plane strain conditions Fig. 4.
prevail, 2D FE model was considered for numerical The arrival time of a particular wave group at an
simulations. The element selected was a plane strain, eight observation point has been found using Wavelet Transform
node element with two degrees of freedom (DOF) at each (WT). The mother wavelet used in this work was Morlet.
node. The excitation was a seven cycle tone burst with a Wavelet coefficients were computed for signals obtained at
central frequency of 200 kHz. Duration of excitation was 35 observation points using MATLABR Wavelet Tool Box [6].
ms and total propagation time of Lamb mode was 120 ms. A-scan was taken at x = 205 mm for out of plane displacement
at healthy region and wavelet coefficients computed for this
signal, are shown in Fig. 3. The time corresponding to the
peak of wavelet coefficients on each wave group was taken
as the arrival time or time of flight (TOF) for that whole wave
group. Using WT technique the arrival times of A o wave
group at healthy region, 30 mm and 40 mm interface
delamination regions, were 75.2 µs, 75.6 µs and 75.8 µs
respectively.

Fig. 2 : Model used for FE analysis.

Fig. 3 : A-scan at healthy region. Wavelet coefficients fitted Fig. 4 : A-scans at (a) 30 mm and (b) 40 mm interface
over the signal delamination regions
114 Ramadas et al.: Proceedings of the National Seminar & Exhibition on Non-Destructive Evaluation

3. Expression for interface delamination ∆t40 = t40 – to = 75.8 – 75.2 = 0.6 µs respectively. Substituting
difference in arrival times and group velocities in equation
It was assumed that the transmitter and receiver are on (3), the predicted values of interface delamination are 27.9
thick and thin regions of the T-joint, respectively. The mode mm and 41.8 mm, whereas the actual values are 30 mm and
of excitation was Ao. When Ao mode propagates from the 40 mm respectively.
thick to the thin region, there is a change in wave velocity,
since the thickness changes from 1.98 mm to 0.99 mm. The
distance between the transmitter and receiver is ‘L1 + D + L2 5. Discussion and conclusions
= 60 mm’ as shown in Fig. 2. Let L1 and L2 denote distances
between the transmitter and beginning of interface A feasibility study on detection of interface delamination
delamination (thick region), and between the receiver and in a composite structural T – joint using ToF of Ao mode of
discontinuity (thin region) respectively. ‘D’ denotes the Lamb waves was carried out. An expression was derived,
length of interface delamination. which predicts the delamination size using ToF and group
The arrival time (time of flight (ToF)) of wave group at velocities of Ao modes in thin and thick regions. When there
the receiver can be written as follows: is an interface delamination, the distance travelled by Ao
mode over thin region increases compared to that at healthy
region. For a given frequency, since Ao mode group velocity
(1) is lower at thin region, it takes more time to travel over that
region. Because of this reason, there is a delay in arrival of
where, V1 and V2 are group velocities of Ao mode in the thick A o mode in the delaminated regions compared to healthy
and thin regions respectively. regions. From equation (3), for a given lay up on thin and
If there is no interface delamination, then the thick region thick regions, the size of interface delamination (D) is directly
spreads up to the location of structural discontinuity, shown proportional to difference in arrival times (∆td). Difference in
in Fig. 1, and size of thick region becomes ‘L1 + D’. The arrival time of Ao mode at 40 mm delamination region is more
arrival time of A o mode at the receiver is given by the than that at 30 mm delamination region. For a given
following equation. delamination size, if the lay up in thin and thick regions is
such that the difference in group velocities is negligible,
then the difference in arrival times will also be negligible and
(2) this technique may fail to predict the delamination size. This
technique requires baseline / healthy region data for
prediction of delamination size. The predictions made by the
Subtracting equation (2) from (1), the following equation derived expression are found to be in good agreement with
is obtained. the actual values. Hence the expression is validated.

(3) References
1. Rose J L, Ultrasonic waves in solid media, Cambridge University
From the above expression, if the difference in arrival
Press, (1999) p. 103
time of Ao mode (∆t) and group velocities in flange (V1) and
2. Allyne D N and Cawley P, The interaction of Lamb waves with
top skin (V2) are known, interface delamination length ‘D’
defects, IEEE Trans Ultrason Ferroelectrics Frequency Control,
can be arrived at.
39 (1992) 318–97.
3. Ramadas C, Krishnan Balasubramaniam, Joshi M and
Krishnamurthy C V, Interaction of primary anti-symmetric Lamb
4. Prediction of delamination sizes mode (Ao) with symmetric delaminations, Smart Mater. and
Struct., (2009).
To estimate the group velocities of Ao mode, numerical
4. Lee B C and Staszewski W L, Lamb wave propagation modelling
simulations were carried out on [0/90/02/90/0] and [0/90/0]
of damage detection: I. two – dimensional analysis, Smart Mater.
laminates which represent thick and thin region ply
and Struct, 16 (2003) 249 – 59
orientations. The group velocities in thick and thin region
5. Kesavan A, Deivasigamani M, John S and Herszberg I, Damage
worked out to be 1068.3 m/s and 1052.2 m/s respectively. The
detection in T – joint composite structures, Elsevier J. of Compo.
difference in arrival times of Ao modes at 30 mm delaminated
Str., 75 (2006) 313–320
region and healthy region and 40 mm delaminated region and
6. The Maths Works Inc. MATLABR Wavelet Tool Box User’s
healthy region are ∆t30 = t30 – t0 = 75.6 – 75.2 = 0.4 µs and
Guide.