Active Thermography for Quantitative Analysis of Defects in Composites

The method of Pulsed Thermography has been used for the investigation of carbon as well as glass fibres reinforced plastics. We have studied material properties like porosity and density, on the one hand, and defects, on the other hand. The defects under investigation have been inclusions of foreign materials. Test samples with simple geometries as well as components with complex geometries have been surveyed. In the case of complex geometries, Finite-Element-Simulations have been performed additionally and used to interpret the experimental data with respect to geometry effects.