Journal of Adhesion Science and Technology, Vol.15, No.14, 1695-1709, 2001
Application of the theory of linear elastic materials with voids to NDT of interfaces of bilaminates
Non-destructive testing (NDT) of interfaces in composite structural elements is mandatory in several industries. This calls for modeling of composite interfaces incorporating real world conditions of imperfect bonding. Theories of materials that modern continuum mechanics offer can be profitably employed to develop these models. For instance, distributed voids are often present in the adhesive zone of a structural element and these voids may lead to a failure of the element due to the imperfect bond. As the theory of linear elastic materials with voids (LEMV) provides a model for solids with properties akin to viscoelastic materials, it is employed in the present work to represent the thin adhesive viscoelastic layer with its minutes pores spread over the interface region of a symmetric bilaminate. The bilaminate is assumed to be insonified in water and the governing leaky Lamb wave (LLW) frequency equation is derived. The dispersion and attenuation of LLWs in an Al/adhesive/Al bilaminate are graphically-presented for various porosity-coupling parameter values and are compared with those in perfectly-bonded At plates. The results presented in this paper showing the influence of pore-infested adhesive layer on the early leaky Lamb modes promises to be useful in identifying interfacial porosity.