Ultrasonic chaotic excitations combined with sensor prediction algorithms have shown the ability to identify incipient damage (loss of preload) in a bolted joint. In this study we examine the capability of this damage detection scheme to identify disbonds and poorly cured bonds in a composite-to-composite adhesive joint. The test structure consists of a carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate that has been bonded to a CFRP rectangular tube/spar with several sizes of disbond as well as a poorly cured section. Each excitation signal is imparted to the CFRP plate through a macro-fiber composite (MFC) patch on one side of the adhesive joint and sensed using an equivalent MFC patch on the opposite side of the joint. A novel statistical classification feature is developed from information theory concepts of cross-prediction and interdependence. Temperature dependence of this newly developed feature will also be examined.

Date Published: 10 April 2009
PDF: 9 pages
Proc. SPIE 7295, Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems 2009, 729511 (10 April 2009); doi: 10.1117/12.815969

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 7295:
Health Monitoring of Structural and Biological Systems 2009
Tribikram Kundu, Editor(s)