Nondestructive evaluation of braided carbon fiber composites with artificial defect using HTS-SQUID gradiometer

Abstract

Braided carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are one of multifunctional materials with superior properties such as mechanical strength to normal CFRPs since the braided CFRPs have continuous fiber bundles. In this paper, we applied the current-injection-based nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method using a HTS-SQUID gradiometer to the braided CFRP for the detection of the breakage of the bundles. We prepared planar braided CFRP samples with and without artificial cracks of 1 and 2mm lengths, and measured the current density distribution above the samples using the NDE method. In the measurement results, not only a few completely-cut bundles but also the additional partially-cut bundles were detected from decrease in the measured current density along the cut bundle around the cracks. From these results, we showed that it is possible to inspect a few partially-cut bundles in the braided CFRPs by the NDE method.