Damage Assessment of Low-Velocity Impacted Sandwich Composite Structures Using X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography

Abstract

Sandwich composite structures offer significant versatility in structural system design but are susceptible to low-velocity impact damage, impacting their structural robustness. This study focused on nondestructive testing, particularly using X-ray micro-computed tomography, to assess damage on these structures, comprised of thin glass fibre reinforced polymer face sheets and a polyvinyl chloride foam core, under low-velocity impacts. Impacts were induced by a constant mass of 5.61 kg, dropped from various heights, generating impact energies between 2 and 22 J. This resulted in varied damage levels, from indentations to full perforations. The X-ray micro-computed tomography technique was chosen for its ability to detect internal damage. However, the system’s efficacy in accurately assessing damage depends on numerous factors like focus-to-detector distance, focus-to-object distance, and spatial resolution of the detector, among others. The system yielded an approximated resolution range of 10–25 μm for a focal spot size of 4 μm and the resolution range of 11–26 μm for a spot size of 7 μm. To this end, the system was able to reveal damage inflicted across the specimen through captured and reconstructed images. The quality of the reconstructed images was validated using ImageJ2 software by comparing with the processed images. The median filter was found to deliver images that closely resembled the original ones, albeit with a slight reduction in quality. Damage types varied based on impact energies. Low-level impacts caused matrix cracking and delamination at the foam interface. Medium-level impacts led to intralaminar and interlaminar damage, fibre fractures, and significant damage to the foam core through shearing and crushing. High-level impacts resulted in near or full perforations, with more pronounced delamination at the bottom interface, and fibre fractures in the impact zone, displaying a distinctive diamond-like damage pattern. These findings can be instrumental in developing a predictive impact damage model.