Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy
Terahertz (THz) non-destructive testing can detect internal defects in dielectric materials. However, this technology is mainly used for detecting thin and simple structures at present, lacking validations for the detection effectiveness of internal defects in thicker and more complex structures, su...
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Sensors |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/6/1715 |
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| author | Yu Liu Yefa Hu Jinguang Zhang Haixin Liu Meng Wan |
| author_facet | Yu Liu Yefa Hu Jinguang Zhang Haixin Liu Meng Wan |
| author_sort | Yu Liu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Terahertz (THz) non-destructive testing can detect internal defects in dielectric materials. However, this technology is mainly used for detecting thin and simple structures at present, lacking validations for the detection effectiveness of internal defects in thicker and more complex structures, such as fiber-web-reinforced composite sandwich panels. In this study, samples of fiber-web-reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panels, which are, respectively, 20 mm and 30 mm thick, were made to detect the internal debonding, inclusion, pore, and crack defects by the THz time-domain spectroscopy system (THz-TDS). The peak-to-peak-imaging algorithm, maximum-amplitude-imaging algorithm, minimum-amplitude-imaging algorithm, pulse-width-imaging algorithm, and time-of-flight-imaging algorithm were used to process and image the collected THz signals. The results showed that the peak-to-peak-imaging algorithm had the best performance. To address the low imaging resolution of THz-TDS, a block-based super-resolution reconstruction method—SSSRGAN—is proposed, which can improve image resolution while maintaining the clear edge contours of defects. The defect-detection results of the samples showed that THz-TDS could detect all pore, debonding, and crack defects, with a minimum size of 3 mm for pores and debonding and a minimum thickness of 1 mm for cracks. The method showed poor detection performance for inclusions with a thickness of 0.053 mm, but could still extract the defect features. Based on the THz-TDS reflection mode measurement principle, the thickness information of the panel, foam core, and web of the samples was calculated: the measurement error was no more than 0.870 mm for Sample #1 and no more than 0.270 mm for Sample #2, demonstrating the accuracy of THz-TDS in measuring the dimensions of sandwich panel structures. In general, THz technology shows potential for detecting internal defects and performing dimensional measurements in complex structures. With the advancement of portable devices and enhancements in detection speed, real-time on-site detection is anticipated in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:50:08Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:50:08Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-0779ef94ddde4a64bdaeafaeb505d5a02024-03-27T14:03:31ZengMDPI AGSensors1424-82202024-03-01246171510.3390/s24061715Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain SpectroscopyYu Liu0Yefa Hu1Jinguang Zhang2Haixin Liu3Meng Wan4School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaHubei Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center for Magnetic Suspension, Wuhan 430070, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaTerahertz (THz) non-destructive testing can detect internal defects in dielectric materials. However, this technology is mainly used for detecting thin and simple structures at present, lacking validations for the detection effectiveness of internal defects in thicker and more complex structures, such as fiber-web-reinforced composite sandwich panels. In this study, samples of fiber-web-reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panels, which are, respectively, 20 mm and 30 mm thick, were made to detect the internal debonding, inclusion, pore, and crack defects by the THz time-domain spectroscopy system (THz-TDS). The peak-to-peak-imaging algorithm, maximum-amplitude-imaging algorithm, minimum-amplitude-imaging algorithm, pulse-width-imaging algorithm, and time-of-flight-imaging algorithm were used to process and image the collected THz signals. The results showed that the peak-to-peak-imaging algorithm had the best performance. To address the low imaging resolution of THz-TDS, a block-based super-resolution reconstruction method—SSSRGAN—is proposed, which can improve image resolution while maintaining the clear edge contours of defects. The defect-detection results of the samples showed that THz-TDS could detect all pore, debonding, and crack defects, with a minimum size of 3 mm for pores and debonding and a minimum thickness of 1 mm for cracks. The method showed poor detection performance for inclusions with a thickness of 0.053 mm, but could still extract the defect features. Based on the THz-TDS reflection mode measurement principle, the thickness information of the panel, foam core, and web of the samples was calculated: the measurement error was no more than 0.870 mm for Sample #1 and no more than 0.270 mm for Sample #2, demonstrating the accuracy of THz-TDS in measuring the dimensions of sandwich panel structures. In general, THz technology shows potential for detecting internal defects and performing dimensional measurements in complex structures. With the advancement of portable devices and enhancements in detection speed, real-time on-site detection is anticipated in the future.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/6/1715non-destructive testingterahertzfiber-web-reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panelsimaging algorithmsuper-resolution reconstruction |
| spellingShingle | Yu Liu Yefa Hu Jinguang Zhang Haixin Liu Meng Wan Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy Sensors non-destructive testing terahertz fiber-web-reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panels imaging algorithm super-resolution reconstruction |
| title | Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_full | Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_fullStr | Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_short | Non-Destructive Testing of a Fiber-Web-Reinforced Polymethacrylimide Foam Sandwich Panel with Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy |
| title_sort | non destructive testing of a fiber web reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panel with terahertz time domain spectroscopy |
| topic | non-destructive testing terahertz fiber-web-reinforced polymethacrylimide foam sandwich panels imaging algorithm super-resolution reconstruction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/24/6/1715 |
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