Abstract

The use of composite materials in energy and mobility applications has grown significantly in recent years due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and ability to withstand harsh environments. However, these materials can also be prone to damage, making regular testing and monitoring essential for ensuring safety and performance.

Typical damages in composites can include delamination, cracking, and matrix cracking. These types of damage can lead to a loss of strength and stiffness, making it important to detect them early on.

One of the most effective ways to detect damage in composites is to use non-destructive testing (NDT) and structural health monitoring (SHM) methods such as guided waves, acoustic emission, ultrasound and eddy current. Guided waves, for example, can be used to detect delamination within a composite structure, while acoustic emission can be used to detect damage that occurs during service. Ultrasound and high frequency eddy current are also commonly used NDT methods for composite materials.

The talk will introduce different methods for SHM and NDT used at Fraunhofer IKTS. Examples of energy applications where composite materials are used include storage tanks, composite vessels and composite materials for wind turbine blades will be shown. Examples of mobility applications include the use of composite materials in train boogies as well as parts of automotive applications. These applications require regular testing to ensure the integrity of the materials and to detect any damage that may have occurred during operation.

To successfully integrate sensors for SHM it is important to consider factors such as environmental influences and operational conditions of structure as well as sensor type, location and data analysis methods. This can be done through a procedure for development of customized monitoring systems, which considers the specific needs of the application. Some examples of integration of sensors will be shown during presentation.

In the future, collaboration between industry and research institutions will be crucial for the development of new and improved NDT methods for composite materials. This will include the development of sensors, data analysis methods, and integration of NDT into manufacturing processes.