0000000000389885
AUTHOR
F. Lanza Di Scalea
Noncontact Air-Coupled Guided Wave Ultrasonics for Detection of Thinning Defects in Aluminum Plates
Ultrasonic guided waves are gaining increasing attention for the inspection of platelike and rodlike structures. At the same time, inspection methods that do not require contact with the test piece are being developed for advanced applications. This paper capitalizes on recent advances in the areas of guided wave ultrasonics and noncontact ultrasonics to demonstrate a superior method for the nondestructive detection of thinning defects simulating hidden corrosion in thin aluminum plates. The proposed approach uses micromachined gas (air)-coupled capacitive transducers for the noncontact generation and detection of guided plate waves. Interesting features in the dispersive behavior of select…
On the Elastic Behavior of a Cross-Ply Composite Pin-Joint with Clearance Fits
The effect of pin/hole clearance fits on the elastic membranal behavior of a cross-ply fiber glass-reinforced epoxy laminate plate loaded in tension through a pin is examined by a finite element nonlinear contact analysis. No a priori assumption is made on the distribution of the contact pressure on the surface of the hole. Friction effects are not included. The numerical results correlate well with Hertzian theory of contact. It is demonstrated that clearance increases the peak compressive stress in the plate up to a factor of 3000% with respect to the perfect-fit case. Clearance also shifts the location of the peak tensile stress towards the pin/hole contact arc and decreases its magnitu…
Ultrasonic Guided Wave Inspection of Bonded Lap Joints: Noncontact Method and Photoelastic Visualization
The main topic of this paper is the nondestructive inspection of adhesively bonded lap joints by using ultrasonic guided (plate) waves. A noncontact, couplant-free method that employs capacitive air-coupled transducers is demonstrated for the inspection of thin aluminum joints with dimensions typical of aircraft fuselage and wing panels. Two types of bond defects, disbonded regions and regions of poorly cured (low-cohesive-strength) adhesive, are successfully detected by measuring the amplitude decrease of selected plate waves leaking from one adherend to the other one through the bondline. It is shown that proper choice of the vibrating mode structure, in terms of cross-sectional displacem…
A Study on the Effects of Clearance and Interference Fits in a Pin-Loaded Cross-Ply FGRP Laminate
The elastic behavior of a cross-ply fiber glass-reinforced epoxy laminate loaded in tension through a pin fitted with clearance and interference is examined. A nonlinear contact analysis using the Finite Element Method and an experimental study by Speckle Interferometry are performed, showing fairly good correlation. An interesting comparison is performed between FEM results and Hertzian contact theory. Major conclusions are: (I) clearance causes high compressive stress in the bearing area, and does not influence the peak tensile stress; (2) interference has beneficial effects on the joint, as (a) it lowers the peak circumferential stress, and (b) it decreases the change of stress due to t…
On the Effect of Interference Fits in Composite Pin-Joints
The Finite Element Method is used to determine the effect of pin/hole interference fits on the elastic membranal behavior of an orthotropic plate loaded in tension through a pin. A complete contact analysis is performed to handle the nonlinear contact problem. The study encompasses two levels of interference fits, two degrees of anisotropy of the plate, and two load levels. Friction effects are not included. Experimental results from Digital Speckle Pattern Interferometry are also presented. It is shown that the stress changes in the plate vary linearly with load when no pin/plate separation occurs. It is also shown that interference fits can have beneficial effects on the static and fatig…