Delamination detection in foam core composite structures using transient flexural wavefields

This paper investigates a health monitoring technique for foam sandwich structures based on flexural wavefields imaged by Laser Doppler vibrometry. A study of calibrated artificial defect responses in harmonic regime demonstrates that the use of a low frequency regime (below 30 kHz) makes it possible to excite defects in their first flexural resonance modes. The analysis performed in harmonic regime is used to interpret signature patterns obtained with accumulated energy maps from transient wavefield recordings. The potential of the technique is demonstrated on a real impact-induced defect. The robustness of the method relatively to the excitation center frequency selection and to the presence of wave reverberation is demonstrated.