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Damage Imaging in a CFRP Plate using UGW-based Handheld Probe

Pasadas, D. ; Barzegar, M. ; Zhang, M. ; Alegria, F. ; Ribeiro, A. L. ; Ramos, H.

IEEE Sensors Journal Vol. , Nº , pp. 1 - 1, September, 2025.

ISSN (print): 1530-437X
ISSN (online): 1558-1748

Scimago Journal Ranking: 1,08 (in 2023)

Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/JSEN.2025.3605836

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Abstract
This paper presents a handheld guided wave testing probe, measurement procedure, and image processing algorithm to detect and locate defects in carbon fiber-reinforced (CFRP) structures. This study was performed by collecting data from a network of piezoelectric sensors controlled in a pairwise pitch-catch configuration. The probe includes sixteen piezoelectric elements spatially distributed in a square shape configuration to generate and receive ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) signals in the vicinity of a region to be inspected. Instead of collecting all the sensor combinations for defect detection, a measurement procedure is presented to record UGW signals from pairs of sensors that share identical distances and path conditions in the square shape configuration of the proposed probe. Additionally, a comparison between both baseline and baseline-free approaches is performed using the Reconstruction Algorithm for Probabilistic Inspection of Defects (RAPID) algorithm for defect detection, localization, and evaluation in a quasi-isotropic CFRP plate.