Indian Journal of Engineering & Materials Sciences

Vol. 27, June 2020, pp. 789-794

Small delamination detection in carbon fibre reinforced polymer composite beam

by NDT and vibration analysis
Smaranika Nayak, Swetansu Pattnaik, Isham Panigrahi*, Rameshkumar Nayak & Sambitkumar Parida
School of Mechanical Engineering, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar 751024, India

Received:05 October 2017 ; Accepted:09 December 2019

Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites have been prone to damages such as delamination, debonding, matrix
cracking and fibre breakage. In this paper, detailed study has been carried out on determining the presence of small
delamination in sub layers of carbon fibre composite beam using various non-destructive tests (NDT) and vibration signal
analysis. We have concluded that ultrasonic and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) tests have found to be more effective in detecting
small delamination than X-Ray radiography and thermography tests. In the vibration test, we have observed that the natural
frequency decreases and the rate of damping increases in delaminated carbon fibre composite beam as compared to
composite beam without delamination. Besides, the fast fourier transform (FFT) results of vibration signal of delaminated
beam have clearly shown higher harmonics and side bands. Finally, we have concluded that online vibration test can also be
used effectively to detect presence of small delamination in FRP composites.

Keywords: Carbon fibre, Delamination, Non-destructive testing (NDT), Vibration test

1 Introduction carbon fibre composites for its specific use in

Carbon fibre reinforced polymers are extensively environmental applications such as clean-up of flue
used in aerospace sector Katunin1. It is also being gas and decontamination of ground water. They have
widely used now in automotive, defence, sporting performed three-point bend tests to determine
goods, electronics and electrical, marine, biomedical characteristic properties like flexural modulus and
industries Seo2.This is due to their light weight, low yield strength. Riddick7 have given details about
cost, high strength to weight ratio and fatigue life as type I failure of a carbon fibre reinforced composite
compared to other metals Park3. Besides having in which the introduction of carbon nanotubes has
diverse application, damages such as delamination, improved the fracture toughness. Delamination
debonding, barely visible impact damage Polimeno4. detection in multi-layered composite materials was
Beside, matrix cracking, fibre breakage, voids, investigated by Bajaba8. Who however observed,
porosity are inevitable during their manufacturing and there was a small effect on the frequency of
service life. These damages degrade the strength and multilayer component. Marques9 have performed the
durability of the composites thereby making it prone analysis of delamination on carbon fibre based
to failure. Hence it is very much essential to laminates. Results have shown a proper choice of
understand the different damage prediction as well as selecting cutting speed, drill geometry or feed rate on
detection techniques of composite with the the reduction of delamination. Sane10 have done an
advancement of different technologies. Several non investigation on the behaviour of a carbon fibres
destructive tests (NDT) have been carried out for the epoxy composite plate by making use of static pull
diagnostic monitoring of composites like X-ray loads involving analytical and experimental methods.
Radiography, Ultrasonic Testing, X-ray Diffraction, Callioglu11 have successfully investigated both
IR Thermography etc. Unnporsson5 have observed numerically and analytically the subsequent effect of
NDT methods can successfully use to fatigue damage different delamination lengths and orientation angles
evaluation and remaining useful life prediction based on the natural frequencies of symmetric beams. The
on acoustic emission and the electrical properties of analytical method has been created utilizing
composites. Andrews6 have studied about activated Timoshenko’s beam theory. The outcomes have
———————— compared with each other. When delamination length
*Corresponding author (E-mail: [email protected]) in the beam increased, the natural frequency showed a
790 INDIAN J ENG MATER SCI, JUNE 2020

decreasing trend but the trend changes with the fibre of rigidity G₁₂ = 7.1GPa, G₁₃ = 2.55GPa,
orientation angle. Several contributions have already G₂₃ = 4.8GPa, and Poisson’s ratio 𝛾12 = 0.3,
been made by different authors Lee12, Borovkov13 and 𝛾13 = 0.41, 𝛾23 = 0.3 respectively. The following
Lingen14 from time to time for experimental and NDT tests are carried out on the specimens to detect
numerical investigations into the behaviour of small delamination.
damaged multilayer composite structures. Sowjanya15
2.1 X-Ray Radiography
have studied structural and vibration investigation of
delaminated composite beams where analysis was X-Ray is used to detect internal defects or fractures
done by varying the delamination length. The in materials that allow X-Ray penetration, without
delamination effect on the modal parameters of having to manipulate the material. In this way, the
different laminates is being presented by Della16 material remains in the same physical condition
Comparison of different NDT methods on detection before and after the test. Therefore, it is one of the
of delamination with varied diameters and depths in NDT processes. In this research work, digital X-Ray
composites is studied by Cheng17. Some researchers Radiography was carried out to determine the
have also investigated the application of high- delamination present in the carbon fibre composite
frequency waves in damage detection in laminated beam. In this work, GE X-Ray machine is used.
aero-structures which can be found in Pasquali18,19, 2.2 Ultrasonic Inspection
Muc20 and Ochôa21. The use of vibration Ultrasonic testing (UT) is used as NDT method in
characteristics in structural damage detection has determining damages and defects of composite
been studied by several researchers Rucka22, Fan23, structures. Generally, there is conversion of ultrasonic
Gallego24 and Yang25. However most of the papers are signal into an electrical signal which is amplified and
based on the stress and strain analysis part to subsequent displaying on an oscilloscope
optimized mathematical model to deal with fracture Cantwell26.Three forms of scans are available: A, B,
study of composite structures is still a matter of great C. C scan was performed as it was found to be
challenge for the research community. In this paper suitable for delamination detection. In this paper,
various Non-destructive Testing methods are carried ULTRASONIX testing machine is used.
out in order to find out the presence of delamination
zone within the delaminated composite beam. 2.3 X-Ray Diffraction
Subsequently, the dynamic analysis of beam with X-ray diffraction takes place when any wave
delamination and beam without delamination in strikes an array of scatterers. When the spacing is
carbon fibre composite beam has been studied. The equal between the scatterers and the impinging wave,
natural frequencies and damping rate in the diffraction is produced. In this experiment, the angle
delaminated and without damaged composite beams of incidence of X-Ray was varied from 10° to 80°.
have been found experimentally. The scanning rate was kept at 5°/min. The specimen
was tested using Ultrasonic testing and approximate
2 Experimental Procedure delamination region was found out for XRD test in
The six carbon fibre composite beams made from Shimadzu, Japan XRD Machine.
AS4 fabric are taken for experiments and Teflon
2.4 Thermography
strips are used between the layers to give small
delamination. For the detection of delamination, This technique depends solely on the absorption
experiments were carried out to find out the exact and heat dissipation in a composite structure which is
zone and depth of delamination. These experimental damaged. Generally active and passive thermography
processes involve non-destructive Testing to keep the is used in which the former method involves an
internal structure undisturbed and not to manipulate uninterrupted heat flow whereas the later involves a
with the size of delamination. The specimens are sudden rise in temperature on the surface of the
carbon fibre composite beams which have a mass of component. Defects are detected by IR sensitive
cameras. In this work the passive thermography is
336 gram each and a density of 1.696 x 10−6 kg/mm³.
done using FLUKE (TI 32).
The specimens have dimension of 300mm x 30 mm x
2.2 mm. The mechanical properties of carbon fibre 2.5 Vibration Test
composite taken are Young’s modulus in three axis This setup involves use of a carbon fibre composite
E₁ = 140GPa, E₂ = 8.963GPa, E₃ = 4.8GPa, modulus beam as a cantilever, an accelerometer, connecting
 NAYAK et al.: DELAMINATION DETECTION IN CARBON FRP COMPOSITES 791

cables, FFT analyzer (OROS-34) and a laptop loaded In the X-Ray diffraction analysis, it is found that
with NV GATE noise and vibration analysis software. the carbon fibre composite beam has lesser crystalline
For free vibration test, the beam is clamped at one intensity in the areas where delamination is present.
end, keeping a length of 275mm free and an The following graphs as shown in figure-4 (a), (b), (c)
accelerometer is mounted at the other end of the and (d) represent the extent of crystal packing
beam. The FFT analyzer collects the vibration data intensity within the structure. It can be inferred from
and shows it in the FFT plots in laptop display. In this XRD result of the areas -2 of beam in Fig. 4(b) where
test, the cantilever beam is given an initial delamination is present; shows lesser presence of
displacement of 20mm vertically and released such crystals which may be due to the presence of voids.
that it vibrated freely and allowed to damped on its In the thermographic tests, the delaminated
own. The corresponding vibration data is recorded in composite beam has been heated up to temperatures
the laptop. Three sets of readings are taken, each 50, 90, 150, 240 and 300 °C using a heater and
using beam with delamination and beam without
delamination. Further harmonic excitation test was
conducted with the help of electro dynamic exciter to
compare vibration spectrum of beam with
delamination and beam without delamination as
shown in Fig. 1.

3 Results and Discussion

First X-Ray radiography is carried out on the beam
specimens the image is shown in Fig. 2.
The problem with X-Ray radiography is sometimes
unable to detect very minute defects. Hence, other
non-destructive processes have to be carried out to
inspect the small delamination.
Then the specimen was tested with ultrasonic test
for delamination detection. As shown in the Fig. 3,
the test specimen with white marks shows the
delaminated area detected by ultrasonic test device. Fig. 2 — X-Ray radiography image carbon fibre beams.

Fig. 1 — Setup for vibration test for carbon fibre beams.

Fig 3 — White spot are small delamination area detected by ultrasonic test and numbers are marked for XRD analysis.
792 INDIAN J ENG MATER SCI, JUNE 2020

with the help of an infrared camera, thermographic reasons for it might be that there may be an
image has been taken as shown in Fig. 5. The opening on the outside of the composite that may be
result has been somewhat inconclusive as it failed leading to the delamination area. Hence, the void
to show any presence of delamination. One of the areas are getting cooled in the same manner as the
other areas. Therefore, all the areas are showing the
same heat gradient.
The experimental result from the free vibration test
with an OROS four channel FFT analyzer is
performed and the test results are shows in Fig. 6. It
can be clearly seen the rate of damping are varies on
presence delamination Fig. 6(b).
Table 1 results clearly indicate that the
natural frequency is lower in case of delaminated
composite beam as compared to beam without
delamination.
Finally, the FFT plots of online vibration test in
Fig. 7 and Fig. 8, of beam without delamination and
with delamination respectively, these plots shows
Fig. 4 — X-Ray diffraction crystalline intensity graph. super harmonics and side bands.

Fig. 5 — Thermographic images of the carbon fibre delaminated composite beam.

Fig. 6 — Time versus acceleration graph for carbon fibre composite without delamination (a) and with delamination (b).

Table 1 — Comparison of natural frequencies of beam without delamination and beam with delamination.
Natural frequencies(in Hertz)
Mode Beam Without delamination Beam with delamination
1st mode 20.9238 19.9245
2nd mode 120.7035 118.7534
3rd mode 263.6757 258.9843
 NAYAK et al.: DELAMINATION DETECTION IN CARBON FRP COMPOSITES 793

Fig. 7 — FFT plot of composite beam without delamination.

Fig. 8 — FFT of composite beam with delamination.

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