Probabilistic ultrasound C-scan imaging of barely visible impact damage in CFRP laminates

Ultrasonic pulse-echo C-scan imaging is a widespread method for detecting and characterizing defects in fiber reinforced polymer composites. However, the accurate assessment of complex distributed damage cluster, like barely visible impact damage, multi-layer heterogeneous composites not straightforward. For reliably estimating remaining load carrying capacity and/or useful lifetime damaged composite, proper complete utmost importance. In this paper, statistical time-energy gating approach proposed view obtaining improved ultrasonic impacted The majority virgin A-scan signals are first clustered by analyzing their back-wall echoes. Next, using principle maximum likelihood, Rice distribution matched to instantaneous amplitude order estimate natural variability local energy response signals. resulting time-varying reliability interval provides an effective means identify coming from or inhomogeneities, as such robustly assess defect parameters. probabilistic procedure demonstrated on various carbon laminates with damage. obtained results benchmarked conventional through-transmission mode well classical time approach. contrast gate method, successfully extracts quantifies full extent cluster. Further, good noise resistance wide range signal-to-noise ratios.