The Effect of Environmental Flight Conditions on Damage Propagation in Composite Sandwich Structure

Abstract The aim of the study was to determine the traceability of damage growth caused by inclusions of water in the composite sandwich structure. It was assumed that as a result of temperature changes during the flight and accompanying phase transformation, the zone containing water inclusions increases. The growth is caused by the destruction (mainly the tearing of walls) of the core. As part of the work, this assumption was verified experimentally. For the experiment to be successful it was necessary to simulate actual flight conditions. The simulation involved inducing phase transformations of water in the core cell as a function of time and temperature. Before and after the experiments the non-destructive tests using pulsed thermography were performed. The test results revealed an increase in the number of cells occupied by water. Adequate specimens were designed and manufactured. The study showed that cyclical changes in temperature affected the propagation of water in core sandwich structures. Further, it was found that the increase in the surface area of water-containing inclusions could be monitored using thermographic techniques.