GUIDED SHEAR WAVES ATTENUATION IN BONDED METAL-COMPOSITE STRUCTURES

Abstract

Composites are extensively used in modern structures such as those used in aeronautics. Joining these light and strong structures to the metallic frame is done by bonding, due to the advantage of relative uniform distribution of stresses over the entire bonded surface. The quality inspection of bonded assemblies by non-destructive methods is of highest importance. Among these techniques, the guided ultrasonic waves have proven to be very efficient in inspecting relatively long domains from a single transducer position. The length of the inspection domain depends on the attenuation of guided waves. The present work is focused on computing attenuation of ultrasonic shear waves, for all guided modes, in a frequency range of practical interest. Recently published results on guided waves propagation in bonded structures, coming from a long lasting collaboration between the Universities of Le Havre and Politehnica of Bucharest, are also briefly presented.