Low-Power Vibrothermography for Detecting and Quantifying Defects on CFRP Composites

Detecting barely visible impact damage (BVID) in carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) materials is a key challenge in maintaining the safety and reliability of composite structures. This study presents the application of low-power vibrothermography to identify such defects. Using a Long-wave infrared (LWIR) camera, thermal data were captured from the CFRP specimens that inhibit BVID. How image-processing, specifically principal component analysis (PCA) and sparse principal component (SPCA) analysis can enhance thermal contrast and improve the accuracy of defect size is also explored. By combining low-energy excitation with advanced data analysis, this research aims to develop a more accessible and reliable approach to non-destructive testing (NDT) for composite materials.