Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Research Articles

Special Issue on Advanced Metal Cutting Technologies

Cutting technologies are utilized in many industrial sectors, such as automobile, aircraft, and medical-device manufacturing as well as dies and molds. Thus, the requirements for higher geometric accuracy, better surface integrity, and longer component service lifetimes have substantially increased. In addition, maintaining high machining efficiency while simultaneously reducing power consumption and CO2 emissions during machining is important for sustainable development. This special issue features 11 papers on the most recent advances in cutting technologies for metals and composite materials. - Reverse finishing characteristics of drilling surfaces - Machining error simulation for end milling - Visualization of cutting phenomena using a single-crystal diamond tool - Milling of TiB2 particle-reinforced high-modulus steel - Electrodischarge-assisted turning of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers - Suppression of chatter vibration during double-insert turning - Prediction of surface roughness components during turning - Microtome blades for high-precision tissue sectioning - Boiling of coolant near the cutting edge in high-speed machining - Residual stress during drilling of aluminum alloy - Effect of strain hardening on burr control during drilling This issue provides an understanding of recent developments in cutting technologies, aiming to inspire further research in this field. We deeply appreciate the careful work of all the authors and thank the reviewers for their diligent efforts.

Experimental Method to Determine the Draping Behavior of Auxiliary Materials for the Vacuum Bagging of CFRP Parts on Doubled-Curved Surfaces

AbstractThe production costs of aircraft primary structures made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) are significantly higher than for comparable metal-based structures. Today substantial effort is made to achieve a sufficient reproducibility and parts’ quality in manufacturing processes of CFRP structures. Especially the sub process vacuum bagging for infusion processes is still expensive. One of the reasons is the complex positioning of the flexible auxiliary materials which have to be stacked on the preform. During the positioning on doubled-curved surfaces these materials tend to form wrinkles, which can lead to defects of the composite part. Yet, a defined description of the wrinkling behavior of the auxiliary materials on doubled-curved surfaces does not exist. In this work a characterization of the wrinkling behavior on doubled-curved surfaces is investigated for the auxiliary materials of the Vacuum Assisted infusion Process (VAP®): release film, perforated peel ply, flow media, membrane and vacuum foil. Therefore, an experimental test method is derived similar to established hemisphere deformation test methods. The wrinkling behavior for the specific VAP auxiliary materials is empirically determined on differently curved surface geometries. It is shown that the draping behavior can be characterized by partial wrinkle-free surfaces between the wrinkles. A material specific threshold is derived to determine the appearance of wrinkles. The work shows that a characterization of the draping behavior of auxiliary materials on doubled-curved surfaces is possible. With the gained knowledge the potential for an increase of the vacuum bagging reproducibility is given.

Design, optimization, manufacture, and tests of CFRP hydraulic cylinder tube without metal liner: A bionic thorn‐tooth connection

AbstractHydraulic cylinders are widely used in rudder surface control, landing gear retraction of aircraft. The aircraft could benefit a lot on weight reduction, by the application of the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFPR) on the hydraulic cylinder. The design, optimization, manufacture of the CFRP hydraulic cylinder tube without metal liner is systematically studied in this article. In terms of structure design, inspired by natural thorn plants, a bionic thorn‐tooth connection structure is designed to connect CFRP and the metal end. Then the theoretical design method of thorn‐tooth is proposed. It also provides a new solution for the generic technology of CFRP‐to‐metal connection. In terms of CFRP parameters design method, an accurate mechanical model of CFRP hydraulic tube is established, the influence law of CFRP parameters on mechanical properties is explored, and the optimization method of CFRP parameters adapted to new characteristics is proposed. In terms of the manufacturing process, the split manufacturing‐combined molding process with high precision and low cost is developed to fit the characteristics of CFRP hydraulic tube without metal liner. The prototype manufactured by the proposed method has a weight reduction ratio of 62.37% while maintaining performances compared to the original metal hydraulic cylinder tube. This research will bring significant performance gains and considerable economic and environmental benefits to aircrafts.Highlights The systematic study of CFRP hydraulic tube without metal liner is presented for weight reduction. The bionic thorn‐tooth connection and its parameter design method are proposed. The CFRP parameters design method of CFRP hydraulic tube is established. A manufacturing process adapted to CFRP hydraulic tube without metal liner is developed.

Bond behavior of CFRP reinforcement systems with concrete under static and fatigue loading

In this research, the single lap shear tests were used to investigate the bond behavior of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets bonded to concrete blocks under static and fatigue loads. The magnitude of the fatigue load was considered as a parameter that varied from a minimum load of 10% of Pu to a maximum load of 60%, 70% and 80% of the ultimate static load. For both loading scenarios, the applied load versus slips curves and the profiles of the interface zone strain were presented. In addition, comparisons, and analyses of the failure mode of samples subjected to static and fatigue loading are presented. The experimental results demonstrate that the loading level has a significant impact on the failure mode, fatigue life and stiffness degradation of CFRP-concrete joints during the fatigue loading.Finally, a prediction model for the fatigue life of the CFRP-concrete joint was developed as part of this investigation.

Tool wear monitoring based on scSE-ResNet-50-TSCNN model integrating machine vision and force signals

Abstract In the realm of mechanical machining, tool wear is an unavoidable phenomenon. Monitoring the condition of tool wear is crucial for enhancing machining quality and advancing automation in the manufacturing process. This paper investigates an innovative approach to tool wear monitoring that integrates machine vision with force signal analysis. It relies on a deep residual two-stream convolutional model optimized with the scSE(Concurrent Spatial and Channel Squeeze and Excitation) attention mechanism (scSE-ResNet-50-TSCNN). The force signals are converted into the corresponding wavelet scale images following wavelet threshold denoising and Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT). Concurrently, the images undergo processing using Contrast Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) and the Structural Similarity Index Method (SSIM), allowing for the selection of the most suitable image inputs. The processed data are subsequently input into the developed scSE-ResNet-50-TSCNN model for precise identification of the tool wear state. To validate the model, the paper employed X850 carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy as laminated experimental materials, conducting a series of tool wear tests while collecting pertinent machining data. The experimental results underscore the model's effectiveness, achieving an impressive recognition accuracy of 93.86%. When compared with alternative models, the proposed approach surpasses them in performance on the identical dataset, showcasing its efficient monitoring capabilities in contrast to single-stream networks or unoptimized networks. Consequently, it excels in monitoring tool wear status and promots crucial technical support for enhancing machining quality control and advancing the field of intelligent manufacturing.

Performance evolution of epoxy adhesive and CFRP-steel epoxy-bonded joints subjected to hygrothermal exposure

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP)-steel epoxy-bonded joints are widely used in civil, mechanical, and railway engineering structures. However, the mechanical and bonding performance of the epoxy adhesive is sensitive to hygrothermal exposure, which may lead to performance degradation of CFRP-steel bonded interfaces. In this study, the performance evolution of epoxy adhesives and CFRP-steel epoxy-bonded joints after hygrothermal exposure was investigated. Three temperature levels (25°C/50°C/75°C) and three hygrothermal exposure time levels (24h/120h/360h) were considered. The dynamic mechanical behavior and tensile properties of the bulk adhesives were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and tensile tests, respectively. Additionally, the mechanical failure properties of the bonded joints, including failure mode, strain distribution, and bond-slip relationship were obtained by tensile tests. The results indicated that the glass transition temperature (GTT) and tensile strength of adhesive J133 are always higher than those of A2014 in all test scenarios. The interface remains the weakest after hygrothermal exposure. After the 50°C hygrothermal exposure, both CFRP-steel joints possess the highest bond strength and interfacial maximum bond stress, which corresponds to their higher adhesive tensile strength at the same temperature. In addition, we also find that both CFRP-steel joints show an increase in bond strength after short-term hygrothermal exposure.

Nonlinear dynamic analysis of aircraft CFRP sandwich wings under explosive blast loading: Introducing SVM-DNN algorithm to predict dynamical information

The aircraft wings are a crucial component, particularly during mechanical shock excitation. Thus, for the first time, an inventive adaptable model to simulate the nonlinear dynamics of the wings under explosive blast loading at the moment of the collision is described in this article. It is crucial to increase the structure's stability because of explosive blast loading. The mentioned structure is made of two composite face sheets and a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). Functionally graded (FG) graphene origami (GOri)-enabled auxetic metallic metamaterial (GOEAM) is introduced to improve the stability of this kind of applicable structure, especially in air maneuvers. The analysis is conducted utilizing Reddy's third-order shear deformation of Reddy theory (TSDRT), incorporating Hamilton's principle and Von Kármán nonlinear geometric assumptions. The governing and boundary equations are accurately computed at the domain and boundary edges of the doubly curved structure. The coupled mesh-free radial point interpolation method (MRPIM) and Newton-Raphson method are applied for numerically simulating the current doubly curved structure by employing Newmark's temporal integration method with a constant-average acceleration approach. The present findings are cross-checked against the machine learning method and open-source results from the literature. Based on physical data, machine learning integrates supervised machine learning to predict the nonlinear vibration of the system. In this case, nonlinear transient bending properties are found using hybrid machine learning methods and solutions. The findings demonstrate the significance of GOEAM for nonlinear vibrations of the composite system. The current study's conclusions could be used as a benchmark and useful recommendations for future structural design techniques with enhanced features.

First study of quantitative relationship between electric polarization and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of CFRP

This study investigates the electric polarization, including direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC), and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities within the microwave range (2.5–3.9 GHz) of cross-ply continuous carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites, constructed by stacking prepreg composites. The DC conductivity of CFRP was evaluated using a multimeter, while the AC relative permittivity was measured with electronic test equipment (LCR meter). To describe the relationship between shielding effectiveness and polarization behavior, the EMI shielding of CFRP was assessed using the waveguide method, presenting a quantitative description of this relationship for the first time. Results indicate a decrease in DC conductivity with increasing specimen thickness due to increasing defects. Conversely, AC permittivity increases with specimen thickness, attributed to a rise in charged carriers and associated carrier-atom interactions. Skin depth δ, at a given thickness, follows a trend of initial decrease and subsequent increase with rising frequency; at a given frequency, it increases with decreasing specimen thickness. The interaction between CFRP and radiation is primarily reflective, with the reflection coefficient being much higher than the absorption coefficient across the frequency range, escalating with specimen thickness. Shielding effectiveness (SET) and absorption loss (SEA) display an initial increase followed by a decrease with rising frequency, whereas reflection loss (SER) sees a slight increase. For the smallest thickness, SEA per unit thickness exceeds 3120 dB/m and 7960 dB/m using specimen and carbon thickness, respectively. The absorption loss predominantly arises from the interaction of the electric field with electric dipoles formed by carrier-atom interaction at defects.

Experimental study on the mechanical property of carbon fiber reinforced polymer with the combined application of digital twin and reduced order algorithm

AbstractRecognizing the anisotropy of mechanical property transfer between carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) layers, a unidirectional reduced‐order model (UROM) is proposed to comprehensively express the mechanical properties of each layer. A crucial focus is on effectively analyzing the real‐time mechanical properties of CFRP specimens, particularly in accurately identifying and predicting the interlaminar mechanical states of anisotropic CFRP laminated specimens. Moreover, the multi fidelity surrogate (MFS) is employed to replace the computationally intensive model, amalgamating high‐fidelity sensor data with low‐fidelity data obtained from the UROM. The UROM MFS is used to reduce the amount of data in the same layer of CFRP laminates, while preserving the characteristics between different layers and preserving the interlaminar information of CFRP laminates. Finally, the stress prediction results of the UROM MFS and the unreduced MFS model were compared and analyzed. The real‐time response speed of the u‐ROM MFS digital twin (DT) model was increased by 658%. The UROM MFS DT model effectively captures the mechanical properties of each layer of CFRP laminates, enables quick calculation of model parameters, and provides accurate predictions.Highlights First, the interlayer mechanical property of CFRP is analyzed with the combined application of experimental data, DT model, and UROM MFS. Second, MFS is employed to merge high‐fidelity sensor data of CFPR laminate with low‐fidelity data obtained from UROM. Third, the digital twin framework for CFPR laminate with high response speed and calculation accuracy is proposed.

The action of heated RC joints strengthened with a novel strategy combined CFRP and SSEMSM under a quasi-static cyclic load

The current work presents the application of a novel strategy for strengthening heated beam column (B-C) joints under a quasi-static cyclic load. This technique involves utilizing a layer of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP) sheets with a layer of stainless-steel expanded metal sheet mesh (SSEMSM). These two layers are installed on the steel reinforcement cage inside the joint before concrete casting. Then the reinforced concrete B-C joints, after being cast and cured, were subjected to heat (i.e., 400 °C and 600 °C). The joints were divided into three groups: three joints were kept as is (i.e., reference joints; no strengthening was applied), whereas three joints were strengthened with the previously mentioned strategy. With a view to investigating the seismic behavior of RC joints, a quasi-static cyclic load was applied to the joints to simulate a seismic load. Results showed that the average maximum load capacity for upgraded joints (strengthened) increased by 30%, 19%, and 1% at ambient (i.e., 23 °C), 400 °C, and 600 °C temperatures, respectively, with respect to the reference joint (JCTA). More importantly, the experimental results reveal a significant increase in the cyclic response of strengthened joints (i.e., higher load capacity, greater displacement, higher dissipated energy, higher ductility, and slower degradation in the secant stiffness).

Repair Analysis of Overlay Woven Fabric CFRP Laminates

The increase in aerospace composites usage for structural components demands advanced repair analysis. Overlay repairs of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer laminates offer an alternative that is easier to perform and less time-consuming to produce than the widely used tapered scarf repair and stepped lap. Composite specimen manufacturing was based on both twill carbon/epoxy prepreg and wet lay-up. The repair was performed with both prepreg and wet extra plies to the parent prepreg structure. However, the design of overlay joints must be carefully investigated to avoid generating stress concentration regions at free edges. This study examined specific extra ply terminations' impact on peak stresses in the adhesive bond line. Linear finite element analysis was performed to conduct a maximum principal stress study with a focus on three joint design parameters: ply material, overply effect, and stacking sequence. FEA accurately predicted experimentally observed responses and provided further insight into the failure behavior of the structure. Results showed that overlay joints have a strong sensitivity to ply material type, the number of overply, and stacking sequence. The introduction of overplies provided protection and stiffness at joint tips, and an overply material behavior was identified. The location of 0̊ plies in the composite laminates was highlighted as an important factor. The analysis was then extended to three-dimensional FE models for verification. In conclusion, results showed that high-stress concentration in overlay joints can be mitigated with the introduction of overplies and appropriate changes in joint design parameters to reduce stress peaks at joint tips and corners.

Structural performance of CFRP-confined RC columns under earthquake-induced fire

This paper presents numerical investigations into the performance and risk of a reinforced concrete column confined with carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets alongside an insulation layer when subjected to earthquake-induced fire. For a comparative assessment, the response of an unconfined control column is predicted as well. A five-story benchmark building is selected and the likelihood of fire ignition is simulated under 50 ground motions. Afterward, employing stochastic approaches, the moment capacity and uncertainty of the unconfined and confined columns (C0 and CONF, respectively) are computed within a thermal exposure period of 3 h. The maximum acceleration of 0.28 g obtained from the benchmark building frame indicates the possible occurrence of a fire without significant structural damage. The thermal distress lowers the median capacity of the C0 and CONF columns by 19% and 5%, respectively, and remarkably raises the uncertainty of C0, which differs from the case of CONF. Parametric studies reveal that, during the 3-hour fire loading, the functionality of the columns is dominated by the compressive strength of concrete and a prominent enhancement is noticed for the confined column in terms of preserving functionality against its unconfined counterpart. The insulation layer plays a crucial role in controlling the efficacy of the CFRP system. As far as reliability and hazard are concerned, the CONF column outperforms the C0 column.

High-Sensitivity Detection of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Delamination Using a Novel Eddy Current Probe

The demand for non-destructive testing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is becoming increasingly pressing to ensure its safety and reliability across different fields of use. However, the complex structural characteristics and anisotropic bulk conductivity of CFRP make achieving high sensitivity in detecting internal defects such as delamination extremely challenging. To address this issue, a novel triple rectangular coil probe with high sensitivity developed for detecting delamination in CFRP is presented in this paper. A finite element model using COMSOL Multiphysics was developed for CFRP delamination eddy current testing with the designed probe. Based on this model, the probe parameters were determined through orthogonal experiments. By analyzing the eddy current distribution in CFRP samples, the scanning mode was defined. Following this, the detection voltage was evaluated for various delamination parameters, and the sensitivity of different probes was compared. Results indicate that, under the same excitation coil parameters, for a 5 mm delamination lateral dimension change, the single pancake and single rectangular coil probes exhibit sensitivities of 88.24% and 72.55%, respectively, compared with the designed probe. For a 0.5 mm delamination thickness change, their sensitivities are 49.04% and 56.69% of those of the designed probe. The designed probe meets the demand for high-sensitivity detection.

Decomposition Kinetics and Lifetime Estimation of Thermoplastic Composite Materials Reinforced with rCFRP

Because of the high demand for carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials across all industries, the reuse and/or recycling of these materials (rCFRP) is necessary in order to meet the principles of the circular economy, including recycling and reuse. The objective of this study is to estimate the lifespan of thermoplastic matrix composite materials reinforced with waste materials (CFRP), which undergo only a mechanical cutting process. This estimation is carried out through the thermal decomposition of polymers, including polymer matrix composite materials, which is a complex process due to the numerous reactions involved. Some authors calculate these kinetic parameters using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) as it is a quick method, and it allows the identification of gases released during decomposition, provided that the equipment is prepared for it. This study includes a comparison between polyamides 11 and 12, as well as between polyamide composite materials with carbon fiber (CF) and polyamides reinforced with CF/epoxy composite material. The latter is treated with plasma to improve adhesion with polyamides. The behavior of weight as a function of temperature was studied at speeds of 3, 6, 10, 13, 17, and 20 °C/min, finding stability of the polyamides up to a temperature of 400 °C, which was consistent with the analysis by mass spectroscopy, where gas evolution is evident after 400 °C. The estimation of the lifespan was carried out using two different methods including the Toop equation and the free kinetics model (MFK). The energy of the decomposition process was determined using the MFK model, which establishes the energy as a function of the degree of conversion. It is estimated that at 5% decomposition, mechanical properties are lost.

Cross-sectional shape effect of stay-in-place formwork column on axial compressive behaviour

Experimental and numerical studies on the behavior of composite columns with prefabricated self-compacting mortar (SCM) stay-in-place (SIP) formwork and post-cast normal-strength core concrete were presented.The axial compression of twenty-eight reinforcement concrete (RC) composite columns having square or circular cross-section shapes, with formwork thicknesses of 10 mm or 15 mm, and confined with one or two layers of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP (, were tested. A finite element (FE) model was generated to simulate the stress–strain relationship, and failure mode of the column using ABAQUS software. The results show that square cross-section-shaped columns exhibited lower axial load and displacement capacities than their counterparts of equivalent circular cross-section-shaped columns. This behavior maintained consistent regardless of the use of the SCM-SIP formworks or the wrapping with CFRP fabrics. Among the various confinement systems compared in this study, the efficiency of the CFRP was the greatest. Good bonding with no peeling failure was observed between SCM-SIP formwork and core concrete, indicating the good integrity of the composite columns. Consistency between the FE model and experimental results was observed for both cross-section shapes, indicating the precise and plausible characteristics of the model to sensibly estimate the stress-strain behaviors.

Optimization and Mechanism Study of Bonding Properties of CFRP/Al7075 Single-Lap Joints by Low-Temperature Plasma Surface Treatment

This paper studied favorable low-temperature plasma (LTP) surface treatment modes for Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)/Al7075 single-lap joints using complex experimental methods and analyzed the failure modes of the joints. The surface physicochemical properties of CFRP after LTP surface treatment were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle tests, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The influence mechanism of LTP surface treatment on the bonding properties of CFRP/Al7075 single-lap Joint was studied. The results of the complex experiment and range analysis showed that the favorable LTP surface treatment parameters were a speed of 10 mm/s, a distance of 10 mm, and three repeat scans. At these parameters, the shear strength of the joints reached 30.76 MPa, a 102.8% improvement compared to the untreated group. The failure mode of the joints shifted from interface failure to substrate failure. After low-temperature plasma surface treatment with favorable parameters, the CFRP surface exhibited gully like textures, which enhanced the mechanical interlocking between the CFRP surface and the adhesive. Additionally, the surface free energy of CFRP significantly increased, reaching a maximum of 78.77 mJ/m2. XPS results demonstrated that the low-temperature plasma surface treatment led to a significant increase in the content of oxygen-containing functional groups, such as C-O, C=O, and O-C=O, on the CFRP surface.

Numerical Investigation on the Structural Behavior of a Short-Span Cable-Stayed Bridge with Steel and CFRP Hybrid Cables

In this paper, a thorough investigation is presented on the static and dynamic behaviors of a short-span cable-stayed bridge (CSB) incorporating steel and carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) hybrid cables. The study focuses on the world’s largest span and China’s first highway, CFRP CSB. The performance of the CSB was compared using numerical simulations under four different cable patterns: steel cables, CFRP cables, and steel, and two types of hybrid cables with different structural arrangements. The results indicate that the use of the use of CFRP cables in the long cable region in the short-span CSB project investigated in this study offers improved performance in terms of stability, seismic response, and reduced displacements. In comparison to CFRP cables, hybrid cables have demonstrated a reduction of 12% in the maximum vertical displacement of the main girder. On the other hand, the hybrid cables result in reduced maximum internal forces and longitudinal and lateral displacements of the main girders and towers compared to steel cables. The difference in the arrangement of CFRP cables in the long cable region or short cable region is not obvious under dead loads, but significant differences still exist between the CFRP cable bridges in the short cable region and the long cable region in terms of live load effects, temperature effects, and dynamic characteristics.

Carbon Nanotubes Strengthen the Interaction of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymers with Steel for Improved Mechanical Properties

Carbon Nanotubes Strengthen the Interaction of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymers with Steel for Improved Mechanical Properties

Enhancing CFRP laminates with plasma jet arrays: A study of interlaminar mechanical properties

AbstractThis study delves into the efficacy of plasma jet array treatment in bolstering the interlaminar toughness of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) prepregs, a crucial parameter for their deployment in high‐performance domains. Employing high‐frequency pulsed microsecond plasma jet arrays for surface modification, this research not only demonstrated a 19.49% upsurge in peak load capacity but also a remarkable 29.94% enhancement in Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, as evident from Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests. Furthermore, the surface wettability improvements were underscored by a substantial decrease in water contact angle from 108.33° to 31.45° and a total surface energy augmentation from 12.20 to 64.16 mN/m, post a 1‐min plasma treatment. X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) results indicated an appreciable rise in oxygen functionalities, suggesting enhanced resin‐fiber bonding. Additionally, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analyses revealed notable decreases in surface roughness and microscale defects, contributing to smoother surfaces conducive to better adhesive bonding and reduced manufacturing defects. These multifaceted improvements, stemming from alterations in surface chemistry and topography, underpin the significant potential of plasma treatment in advancing CFRP laminate applications requiring superior durability and mechanical resilience.Highlights A plasma jet arrays method to enhance CFRP's interlaminar properties was studied. The influence mechanism of plasma modification was revealed in detail. The interlayer toughening mechanism of CFRP after plasma modification is proposed.

High-Resolution Ultrasound to Quantify Sub-Surface Wrinkles in a Woven CFRP Laminate

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are popular materials in the aerospace and automotive industries because of their low weight, high strength, and corrosion resistance. However, wrinkles or geometric distortions in the composite layers significantly reduce their mechanical performance and structural integrity. This paper presents a method for non-destructively extracting the three-dimensional geometry, lamina by lamina, of a laminated composite. A method is introduced for fabricating consistent out-of-plane wrinkled CFRP laminate panels, simulating the in-service wrinkle observed in industries that utilize thick structure composites such as the vertical lift or wind power industries. The individual lamina geometries are extracted from the fabricated coupon with an embedded wrinkle from captured ultrasonic waveforms generated from single-element conventional ultrasonic (UT) scan data. From the extracted waveforms, a method is presented to characterize the wrinkle features within each individual lamina, specifically the spatially varying wrinkle height and intensity for the wrinkle. Parts were fabricated with visibly undetectable wrinkles using a wet layup process and a hot press for curing. Scans were performed in a conventional immersion tank scanning system, and the scan data were analyzed for wrinkle detection and characterization. Extraction of the layers was performed based on tracking the voltage peaks from A-scans in the time domain. Spatial Gaussian averaging was performed to smooth the A-scans, from which the surfaces were extracted for each individual lamina. The extracted winkle surface aligned with the anticipated wrinkle geometry, and a single parameter for quantification of the wrinkle intensity for each lamina is presented.