Krishnan Balasubramanian

In this paper, a study on the propagation of the fundamental symmetric Lamb mode (So) in a symmetrically delaminated glass/epoxy composite laminate is presented. It was found that when So mode is incident at the front and rear edges of a symmetric delamination, it generates Ao mode. This mode is exclusively confined to the sub-laminates. It was also observed that, during the interaction of the generated Ao mode with the edges of delamination, it, in turn generates So mode. Thus, So mode and mode converted Lamb modes undergo multiple mode conversions in the sub-laminates. The only mode that propagates in the main laminate is So. A signal-processing scheme based on the time-frequency spectrographic analysis was utilized to identify the wave groups propagating in the main and sub-laminates. © 2012. MechAero Foundation for Technical Research & Education Excellence.

This work explores the generation of Lamb waves and their higher harmonics using a pattern source. An array of laser sources, when used with a short-pulsed laser, generate multiple Lamb modes in a plate-like component. The variation in duty ratio of the pattern source is found to influence the generation of fundamental modes and their harmonics. A two-dimensional finite element model is developed to simulate the narrowband Lamb wave generation process, and validated against targeted experiments. For a ‘square-like’ spatial profile of energy distribution, the second harmonic of the fundamental wave modes is fully suppressed at the duty ratio of 0.5, and the third harmonic of the fundamental wave modes is fully suppressed at duty ratios of 1/3 and 2/3. As the duty ratio increased from 0.2 to 0.8, the variation in amplitude of the fundamental modes is greater than that of the higher order modes. For duty ratio values less than 0.25 and greater than 0.75, the second harmonic component of the fundamental waves had approximately the same amplitude as the fundamental wave modes. Similarly, the third harmonic of the fundamental wave modes had the same amplitude or slightly higher amplitude than the higher order Lamb modes for duty ratio values less than 0.25 and greater than 0.75.

Numerical simulations were carried out to quantify the reflection and transmission characteristics of the fundamental Lamb modes propagating in aluminium sub-plates, which are formed due to a semi-infinite horizontal crack. It was observed that, a Lamb mode propagating in a sub-plate when incident at the edge of a crack, undergoes reflection and transmits through the main plate, as well as the other sub-plate. The mode transmitted through the sub-plate has been termed the 'Turning Lamb Mode' (TLM). Furthermore, a mode converted mode also propagates along with the TLM. This mode has been termed the 'Mode Converted Turning Lamb Mode' (MCTLM). Reflection and transmission characteristics of the fundamental Lamb modes in aluminium sub-plates were studied at frequencies 150 kHz, 175 kHz, and 200 kHz. Experiments conducted to validate the observations made in numerical simulations, confirmed that the transmission and reflection characteristics depend on the thickness ratio. From this study it is surmised that when a Lamb mode propagates through a plate containing horizontal crack, the TLM and the MCTLM start propagating from one sub-plate to the other at the rear edge of the crack and amplitude of these modes depends on the location of the crack across the plate thickness. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propagation of the anti-symmetric fundamental Lamb mode (A0) in a composite laminate containing a semi-infinite delamination was studied through numerical simulations and experimental studies. Here, the wave was generated on a sub-laminate above the delaminated region, and the reflection and transmission of the Lamb modes at the edge of the discontinuity were quantitatively studied. The wave group (named as 'turning mode'), which was made to propagate from one side of the delamination to the other side (through delaminations) was captured and its transmission factor was estimated. Reflection and transmission factors of wave groups were estimated for three different laminates - quasi-isotropic, unidirectional and cross-ply, containing delamination at various interfaces across thickness. Propagation of 'turning modes' were also captured experimentally, employing air-coupled transducers, in quasiisotropic laminates containing delaminations at different interfaces. Attenuation compensation was incorporated in the experimental signals to improve the comparison of transmission and reflection factors between numerical simulations and experiments. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.

The quantitative evaluation of the size of interface delamination in a glass/ epoxy (GFRP) composite T-joint is discussed here. An expression was derived to estimate the size of interface delamination from Time-of-Flight and group velocities of the fundamental anti-symmetric Lamb mode, Ao. Numerical simulations were carried out on [02/902] s GFRP T-joint with different size of interface delaminations and validated with air-coupled ultrasonic experiments. The proposed methodology requires a baseline signal from a healthy region. Supplementary equations were presented to determine the error induced in the estimation of size of the interface delamination, due to mis-alignment during data collection. © 2011 The Author(s).

In the present work, the interaction of the fundamental anti-symmetric guided Lamb mode (Ao) with a structural discontinuity in a composite structure was studied through Finite Element numerical simulations and experiments. The structural component selected for this study was a T-joint section made from glass/epoxy material. This co-cured composite structure is made-up of an upper shell (skin) and a spar as the sub-components. It was observed that when Ao mode interacts with the junction (structural discontinuity) of these sub-components, a mode-converted So mode is generated. Experiments were conducted using air-coupled ultrasound to validate the numerical simulations. The back-propagating "Turning modes", which propagate from the thin region to the spar web and vice versa, were also numerically simulated and experimentally verified. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

In this article an attempt has been made to quantitatively assess the extent of delamination in composite laminates, using time-of-flight of fundamental Lamb wave modes, without recourse to baseline data from a healthy structure. An expression has been derived to determine the delamination size, from group velocities of primary Lamb modes in the sub-laminates and time-of-flight of transmitted Ao signal and mode converted A o signal, which is generated when Ao mode propagates through a delamination. The effectiveness of the expression, when group velocities of primary Lamb modes in the main laminate were used, has been verified through numerical simulations carried out on a quasi-isotropic glass/epoxy laminate with various delamination interfaces. The effectiveness of the expression has also been verified experimentally, on two GFRP cross-ply laminates of [0/90/0] lay-up with 40 mm and 50 mm delamination sizes, using air coupled ultrasonic transducers. The predicted delamination sizes were found to be in good agreement with the actual delamination sizes. Using the proposed technique absolute identification of delamination is possible. A supplementary equation for determining the minimum length of delamination has also been derived and presented in the article. © The Author(s), 2010.

Quality assurance of the composite products becomes important to avoid defects during processing since they are used for critical applications. Non- Contact Ultrasound (NCU) technique using the A0 Lamb modes is explored here with applications in the detection, imaging, and sizing of defects in both honeycomb and more importantly composite laminates. A Finite Element Model was employed to understand the interactions of the Lamb modes with defects. Mode conversions at the two ends of a delamination and the time of flight differences between these were employed for the determination of the size of the delaminations in composite laminates. This method may allow for the two dimensional sizing of the delaminations in composite laminates using a single line-scan using the Lamb modes. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.

In this study, the Lamb mode attenuation constants were derived in terms of the attenuation coefficient, group velocity and central frequency of excitation of the Lamb mode, using the Rayleigh damping model. Attenuation of Lamb waves, both fundamental symmetric and anti-symmetric modes, propagating through viscoelastic media (cross-ply glass/epoxy laminate) was modelled using the Finite Element Method. Numerically simulated attenuation of Lamb waves using Lamb mode attenuation constants was found to be in good agreement with the assumed attenuation. Experiments were performed on a quasi-isotropic laminate, employing air-coupled ultrasonic transducers, to measure the attenuation coefficient. Lamb mode attenuation constants, computed using the attenuation coefficient, were used to model the attenuation of the Lamb mode in quasi-isotropic laminates. Numerically simulated amplitude variation was found to be in good agreement with that computed from experiments. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.