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Computer Processing and Simulation
Simulation of the Ultrasonic Inspection of Composite Materials
Imma Orilio
C.I.R.A. Italian Centre of Research in Aerospace- Capua (CE) - Italy
Vincenzo Masucci
University of Naples
Contact
Abstract
In the present paper, ultrasonic testing of composite materials for aeronautical
applications with intra-laminar cracks is investigated experimentally and by nu
merical simulations. For this purpose, different specimens were used. An ideal s
pecimen without any crack and two specimens with cracks synthetically generated.
The experimental measurements were done with normal piezoelectric longitudinal a
nd surface wave ultrasonic transducers in Pulse Echo and Trough Transmission con
figuration. For better interpretation of the received signals, wave propagation
in the cross section of the rail was modelled numerically using a FEM code which
was adapted to the special testing situation. The simulations are in good agree
ment with the experimental results for all specimens dealt with.
This activity is a part of our contribution at BRITE EURAM "INDUCE - Advanced In
tegrated NDT Concepts for Unified Life-Cicle".
Introduction
One of the primary challenges of the aeronautical industry is the tireless adapt
ation of increasing quality levels to costs and cycles reduction imperatives. Th
is challenge - common to other industrial sectors such as energy, medical and tr
ansportation in general - can be met, among other things, by the adoption of Uni
fied Life-Cycle Engineering concepts that merge aspects of concurrent engineerin
g and total quality management around the design.
To make this objective feasible, INDUCE is fundamentally centred on:
The modelling of the items involved in the nondestructive inspections (materials
, defects, structure excitation, response of equipment) and of their mutual inte
ractions.
The development of advanced non-destructive techniques and analysis methodologie
s
The development of tools for integration among different techniques and of NDT m
odelling with CAD systems.
The simulation of US technique of analysis by means of a numerical model, can su
pply an important support for the laboratories in which this type of control are
come true experimentally. The simulation allows verifying the reliability of so
me inspection techniques, in particular it allows to optimise the parameters tha
t concurs in the control, (p.e. the frequency of the ultrasonic beam). It moreov
er allows to optimise the setting of the testing line.
With the numerical model, knowing the technical characteristics of the transduce
r, we can preview which are the defects that experimental inspection should find
.
All these preliminary considerations would concur to strongly reduce the operati
ng costs and to optimise the human and instrumental resources.
The numerical model has been implemented using a FEM code interpreted from ANSYS
program, while the study of the ultrasonic pulse and its frequency spectrum hav
e been realised by means of the Matlab program. We reproduce a non-destructive t
esting by ultrasounds, simulating the Pulse Echo technique as well as the Throug
h Transmission technique.
Numerical Model

Fig 1: The simulated pulse load and its frequency spectrum.

The propagation of an ultrasonic beam has been simulated in various means of pr
opagation, isotropic as well as anisotropic, also in presence of defects. They h
ave been simulated several prototypes of the model that differ for the means pro
perty and the characteristics of the ultrasonic pulse. The simpler prototype con
sists in the simulation of the propagation of a pressure pulsing in an homogenou
s and isotropic means. Particularly interesting is the model of the propagation
of an ultrasonic beam in a laminated composite. The numerical model of the ultra
sonic pulse has been come true (see figure 1), realising a pressure wave with a
profile and one frequency spectrum with similar characteristics to those of the
beam generated from the real transducers.
In order to carry out a verification on the reliability of the result supplied f
rom the model, it has been constructed ad hoc a test specimen in laminated compo
site to carry out of the experimental verifications (see fig.2).
The specimens has been realised overlapping 17 ply of the thickness of 0,125 mm;
each ply has made by carbon fibres in polymer resin with following lamination s
equence:
[0/45/90/-45/0/45/90/-45/0/45/90/45/0/-45/90/45/0]
There are present some insert of Teflon at different thickness, as is shown in t
he fig.2.

Fig 2: Test Specimen used for the validation of the model

The modelling of this material has been executed ply per ply. The elastic proper
ty of each ply was calculated using the micromechanics formulas.

Fig 3: Grid simulation of the specimen.

In order to reproduce the propagation of the ultrasonic pulse in composite mater
ial it has been made an Transient Analysis (Time History). The ultrasonic pulse
has been simulated as dynamic load of pressure. In the reality, when inspection
is made using the Pulse Echo technique and longitudinal waves, the transducer is
placed perpendicular to the surface of the specimen, a part of the ultrasonic b
eam generated propagates inside the material, while another part is reflected, f
ollowing the Snell law. The same effect have a discontinuity that the residual b
eam can find during its propagation inside the thickness. The signal that come b
ack to the transducer is transformed in an electrical pulse that is shown by the
oscilloscope. Studying the time history of these signal it is possible to deter
minate the structural integrity of the materials.
In the simulation the point of the specimen where the beam impact is represented
by the element on which the dynamic load is applied, while in order to find the
pulse that it returns on the transducer, it reads the acceleration of the nodes
of the element in correspondence of the point in which the presence of the tran
sducer is simulated.
Result and Experimental Validation
In order to carry out a validation of the result reliability supplied from the m
odel, it is compared the result coming from an inspection executed in Pulse Echo
on a real specimen, and the result supplied by the numerical model. In the figu

re 4 we show the result of a inspection made with an ultrasonic beam with freque
ncy of 5 MHz. In particular in the image show the signal coming from the transdu
cer placed in correspondence of a insert of Teflon and having a section of 5x5 m
m and of 0.025 mm of thickness, situated 5 ply under the surface.

Fig 4: Pulse Echo inspection: results coming from specimen.

ming from the FEM simulation

Fig 5: Output co

Fig 6: Representation of the stress in the z direction at 1 msec from the Entry
Echo.
The figure 5, instead, show the output of the numerical model. The acceleration
of a node of the element affected by the ultrasonic beam is a parameter that ca
n reproduce qualitatively the signal received by the transducer (see figure 5).
Also the stress is a significative parameter to monitorate in the beam propagati
on direction, in order to reproduce the physic of the problem.
In order to supply a three-dimensional visualisation of the propagation of the u
ltrasonic beam inside the specimen, in figure 6 we show the stress in the z dire
ction, in an area of the specimen mainly involved in the propagation. This figur
e show the stress situation 1msec after the Entry Echo.
Limit of the model
The limit of the model is that in order to realise the simulation of the propaga
tion of an ultrasonic wave in a material, is necessary to discretise the dominio
n of propagation (that is continuum) in finite elements. In order to have a real
istic reproduction of the wave propagation the discretisation of the dominion ha
ve to be at least 20 elements per wavelength. This means that for the simulation
of the ultrasonic beam propagation with characteristic frequency of 5 MHz, it i
s necessary to use a grid with more than 104 elements.
That involves calculation times very high!
10 elements/wavelength in the space and 0.02 msec as step integration well repro
duce the propagation. With these parameters the time of calculation for a HP 900
0 735 is approximately 10 hours and the used memory in order to store the result
of the analysis 500 Mb.
Points of Force
A point of force of this model is the good versatility that concur to easily mod
ify the thickness of specimen, the dimensions of the defect (p.e. the thickness
of the delamination), the frequency and the intensity of the ultrasonic beam. Bu
t an important aspect is the possibility to simulate the propagation in laminate
d composites with an arbitrary number of ply and fibres oriented in whichever di
rection.
Conclusion
The comparison between the result that the models have supplied and the values t
hat was expected from theoretical considerations, has allowed us to conclude tha
t the numerical model has a coherent behaviour with physics of the considered pr
oblems. For the validation we have made a campaign of test using ultrasounds wit
h characteristic frequency of 5MHz, on a specimen in laminated. Then we have com
pared the result obtained from the experimental tests and the result obtained fr
om the numerical model. The result are in perfect agreement.
About the method to determine a coefficient of attenuation of the material to gi
ve at model, the result can supply a good forecast of what a test should determi
ne in a US control in laboratory. This concurs to use the model in the aim that
us were fixed.
Moreover, with few modifications on the simulation of the ultrasonic beam and on
the ways to find the output, we will made, in the near future, an evolution of
the study in the direction of simulate other kind of inspection using transversa
l and surface waves.
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