PROCEEDINGS OF THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN NDT/ATHENS/GREECE /24-26 MAY 1999 Emerging Technologies in NDT Edited by Danny Van Hemelrijck Free University Brussels, Belgium Athanassios Anastassopoulos Envirocoustics, S.A., Greece Theodore Philippidis University of Patras, Greece A.A.BALKEMA/ROTTERDAM/BROOKFIELD/2000t Emerging Technologies in NDT, Van Hemelrick, Anastassopoules & Philiopcis (eds) ‘© 2000 Balkema, Rotterdam, ISBN 30 5809 127 9 Non-destructive testing of composite sandwich panels using optical interferometric methods R. Marini Hellenic Aerospace Industry, Schimatari, Greece M.A. Vaz, J. Monteiro, J.A.Chousal & F Santos LOME, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Industrial Management, University of Porto, Portugal ABSTRACT: Two optical interferometric methods have been used for the detection of artificially introduced defects in composite panels. ESPI (Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry) and ESI (Flectronie Shear Interferometry) have given satisfactory results showing their applicability over the Non-Destructive Evaluation of sandwich composite structures used for civil and military aircraft. The results obtained using both methods were successfully compared, revealing advantages and limitations of each one. 1 INTRODUCTION In modem aircraft honeycomb structures are widely used. Such a sandwich structure combining different Properties of the components exhibits an improved stifliness-to-weight ratio, where high flexural rigidity is also required. However. overall inspection seems to be complicated due to the different physical and chemical properties of the components, which should influence the inspection result (Ettemeyer & Honlet 1994). In order to produce a light but very stiff sandwich panel, structural adhesives are used for bonding sheets to a honeycomb core, Two major defects can occur there: the inappropriate formed fillet of adhesive and the complete skin-core disbond, either due to lack of adhesive or to a gap between skin and core: this gap can be caused by a defective skin or a locally crushed core (Capriotti & Melosi 1993) (Adams & Cawley 1988). A_ variety of non-destructive _ evaluation techniques are used in assessing the integrity of these composite materials. Among these. optical methods have been proven to be very efficient, especially in producing qualitative results, independently to the characteristics of the material studied (Fttemeyer & Honlet 1994). (Caprionti & Melosi_1993), (Vaz ef al. 1994) (Zanetta ex al 1993). They have been utilized as an effective mean for surface deformation measurements in experimental mechanics. In recent years a technique of data direct processing, known as digital image processing, has emerged in optical displacement analysis. By running the appropriate software the analysis of interferometric patterns can also give quantitative results (Silva ey af. 1994) (Honlet et al 1998). 1d Optical interferometric Methods Non-destructive testing by optical interferometric methods is based on the detection of local deformations produced by defects of the tested object. In order to achieve those local deformations 2 proper loading or stimulation method (thermal. mechanical-vacuum pressure or vibration) should be applied. During Shearography or ESI (Electronic Shear Interferometry), two coherent images of the object surface are formed simultaneously but shifted, one with respect to the other. and then recorded. After the deformation has taken place. a second reading is made in the same way (double exposure). After subtraction, fringes are obtained, being contours of the derivative of out-of-plane displacement. rather than the displacement itsclf (Ettemeyer & Honlet 1994), (Silva er al. 1994), The ESPI (Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry) or TV holographic system technique, which is a fascinating alternative to conventional Holographic Interferometry, is based on a video electronic acquisition. ‘Thus, real-time interferograms can be casily obtained and the micrometric deformation evolution can be measured. This system allows continuous monitoring and the analysis of out-of-plane deformation pattern. Fringes produced as an overlaid image are contours of constant surface displacement. ESPI provides pictures of lower quality than conventional holography, because of the lower resolution of the video system. However, the speed and the real-time operation of the system allowing 25 holograms per second outweigh this disadvantage (Vaz e7 al. 1994) (Lokberg & Malmo 1988).Both techniques are speckle related and_non- contact full field methods. No calibration problems are present, since the wavelength of the laser gives the unit of measurement. They are considered by many authors to be particularly suitable for the detection of internal defects. which can provoke surface distortion (Silva ef al. 1994), (Cawley 1994) (Treca 1977), (Shang et al, 1994), They both can be used as complement to ultrasonic techniques to detect defects up to Imm of the surface, this depth depending also of the power of the laser used 2 EXPERIMENTAL Two sandwich panels fabricated at Hellenic ‘Aerospace Industry were composed of carbon fibre reinforced skins bonded together by means of a Nomex™ (phenolic-impregnated paper) honeycomb structure, Redux™ adhesive was used for bonding. Specimens dimensions were 400x400x20mm for sandwich panel 1 and 400x400x30mm for sandwich panel 2. Defects, meaning areas without adhesive film, were artificially produced by the introduction of Teflon™ films between honeycomb and skin just before the curing cycle (Fig. 1). At first, specimens were examined by means of Ultrasonic C-Scan method at the Laboratory of Advanced Materials of HAL (Fig. 2) Nondestructive Inspection of the pancls by Shearography and ESPI techniques was carried out at the Laboratory of Optics and Mechanics (LOME) of Univer The experimental set-up for both techniques is given in Figures 3 and 4. The specimens were held between two. immovable blocks having vertical V-shaped grooves. A thin layer of alumina powder covered Specimens surfaces in order to achieve better reflectivity. The straining of the panels is achieved by heating them in a uniform manner with a halogen lamp for 2-3 seconds on their backside, Heating gives satisfactory results on materials like composites and honeycombs. but not on stee! or aluminium (Honlet er al, 1998), It causes the expansion of the surfaces and consequently stresses the bonded region. ‘The source of coherent light was a SOOmW Ar Laser for the ESI experiments and a 30mW He-Ne Laser for the PSPI experiments. The panels were examined from both sides in successive seetions dictated by the distance source-object. Fringe formation was realtime monitored on a TV screen through a CCD video camera and permanently recorded thereafter on a PC memory As the heat propagates through the sandwich structure, the fringe anomaly disappears. The moment of capturing the images is therefore crucial, Figure 1, Pattern of the artificially introduced defects as given by the manufacturer. Figure can of the defective honeycomb panels as given by the manufacturer. the first one corresponding to the initial state of the surface and the others recorded shortly after the loading. 3 RESUL The fringe pattems produced are indicative of the presence of defects (Figs 5-6). Areas without defecttase] CI sire C fmige | peat) amass / ey / — ge fmt on Feowa eo Figure 3. Experimental set-up for Shearography deformation analysis of sandwich panels Figure 4. Experimental set-up for ESPI out-of-plane deformation analysis of sandwich panels. exhibit regular fringe pattem, whereas the defective ones produce abnormal closed-form fringes concentrated in the defect. Only defect 3 of side I in both panels was not detected by interferometry This might be due to the vicinity of this defect to the edges of the panel; therefore its deformation could be outweighed by the deformation caused by the holding clip in the same area. It is possible that using a different excitation mechanism (vacuum pressure or vibration) can reveal this defect. Moreover, in the second panel the defect 1 of side 1 was also detected in side 2, revealing 2 more pronounced damaged area inside the honeycomb, 4 CONCLUSIONS The examination of sandwich panels made of CFRP skins and phenolic-impregnated paper honeycomb structure by interferometric techniques has given satisfactory qualitative results. ESI and ESPI methods were shown to be able to provide valuable information in assessing structural damage in such sandwich panels. The sensitivity of the ‘measurements depends on the illumination and the geometry of the interferometer and it is of the order of the laser radiation wavelength (632m for the He- Figure 5. Defects of both panels detected by ESI technique. arFigure 6. Defects of panel 1 detected by ESPI technique. Ne laser and $14nm for the Ar laser). The speed of acquisition has also an important role on the quality of the results. The main problem of these optical interferometric methods is to provide a sufficient response from the defect, which should be readily differentiated from the natural response of an undamaged virgin structure Compared to holography. ESPI can be considered an easier and faster method; compared to Shearography. it gives a better contrast and is more sensitive. On the other hand, ESI is less sensitive to instabilities, has a simpler setup and can be used with a short coherence length laser. Furthermore, it can give directly a measurement of the displacement gradients. ESI seams to be a well-adapted technique for on site inspection of composite structures like ‘ones used for aeronautical applications. Different works already published confirmed this point Preferably these techniques should be combined with Ultrasound or Acoustic Emi quantitative results. 5 REFERENCES, Adams, R.D. & Cawley. P. 1988. 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