Ultrasonic damage detection of impacted long and short fibre composite specimens

Composite materials structures are particularly susceptible to the damages induced by low-velocity impacts that may result in Barely Visible Impact Damages (BVIDs), which can hardly be identified through visual inspection. These damages are particularly dangerous, since they can critically reduce the mechanical properties of the impacted structures. In this work, the damage induced in impacted long and short fibre composite specimens has been experimentally evaluated by means of Non-Destructive Technique (NDT) inspections. The damages size and location have been evaluated by means of ultrasonic testing to assess the influence of fibres aspect ratio (long and short fibres), fibres material (carbon and glass), volume fraction, and impact energy for low velocity impacts on composite specimens. Considerations about the failure mechanisms arising as a consequence of the impact event and their interactions have been finally introduced.