Enhancement of the total focusing method imaging for immersion testing of anisotropic carbon fiber composite structures

The use of composite structures has importantly increased because of their reduced weight, assembly simplification and excellent specific strength and stiffness. The multiple possibilities of their manufacturing allow today to integrate within a single structure multiple functions: design, mechanical strength, multi-material…These structures, by their geometric and structural complexity (anisotropy, attenuation and scattering noise), do not always allow the application of conventional ultrasound real-time methods. In this communication, the problem related to anisotropy is treated in a first part with an analysis of the influence of materials properties on the conventional array imaging methods. In the second part, anisotropy is taken into account in the Total Focusing Method (TFM) to improve the image quality in carbon fiber composite plates.The use of composite structures has importantly increased because of their reduced weight, assembly simplification and excellent specific strength and stiffness. The multiple possibilities of their manufacturing allow today to integrate within a single structure multiple functions: design, mechanical strength, multi-material…These structures, by their geometric and structural complexity (anisotropy, attenuation and scattering noise), do not always allow the application of conventional ultrasound real-time methods. In this communication, the problem related to anisotropy is treated in a first part with an analysis of the influence of materials properties on the conventional array imaging methods. In the second part, anisotropy is taken into account in the Total Focusing Method (TFM) to improve the image quality in carbon fiber composite plates.