Ultrasonic and X-Ray tomography inspection of a woven glass reinforced composite damaged by fatigue loading

International audienceAn investigation of a polyamide 6.6/6 composite reinforced with woven glass fibers is described with a focus on its response to fatigue solicitations. The main purpose is to elaborate a quantitative and a qualitative study of the induced damage as well as its detectability. To do so, several nondestructive testing methods were used. The different damage mechanisms, relative to fatigue loading, were identified using X-Ray tomography as a reference for the ultrasonic investigations. As a result, each damage mechanism is visualized and a measure of the induced void is established for comparison. An ultrasonic investigation based on C-scans and guided waves is performed under different signal analysis approaches in an attempt to extract as much information as possible. The discoveries and experiences are important in the framework of a collaboration with the automotive industry en for biomechanical applications