Impact damage characterization in composite plate using ultrasonic guided waves

Nondestructive testing and evaluation play a vital role in the structural health monitoring of composite structures in various industrial sectors. And damage characterization is essential for safe operation and cost-effective maintenance. Utilizing the second harmonic generation (SHG) technique in nonlinear ultrasonic testing (NUT), this study investigates the impact-induced wave behavior across incremental impact energies (1J to 19J), encompassing the emergence of barely visible impact damage. Ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) from by piezoelectric sensor network on an IM7/977-3 prepreg composite plate were examined. Second harmonics in guided wave signals were observed at different energy levels, affirming the efficacy of ultrasonic guided waves for characterizing impact damage. The relative acoustic nonlinear parameter (RANP) quantified damage severity, contributing to enhanced impact damage assessment methodologies.