SafeCom · Deep Learning-based delamination assessment of complex composite structures from UGW responses under varying environment

Deep Learning-based delamination assessment of complex composite structures from UGW responses under varying environment

Structural components made from composite materials are increasingly used in transport, aerospace, renewable energy, marine structures and other safety-critical engineering systems because they are lightweight, strong and corrosion resistant. However, these structures can suffer from hidden internal damage during manufacturing or service. One of the most critical forms of damage is delamination, where layers of the composite separate from each other. Delamination is difficult to detect visually, but it can reduce stiffness, change vibration behaviour and, if not identified early, may lead to serious structural failure. The SafeCom project addressed this challenge by developing computational and data-driven methods for assessing delamination damage in complex composite structures. The project focused on structural health monitoring, where sensors and numerical models are used to evaluate the condition of structures without stopping their operation or causing damage. In particular, SafeCom investigated how vibration responses and ultrasonic guided waves can be used to detect and quantify hidden damage. The overall objective was to support the development of faster, more reliable and more intelligent damage assessment tools for composite structures operating under realistic service conditions. The project aimed to identify important damage characteristics such as the location, size and interface of delamination. To achieve this, the work combined numerical modelling of damaged composites, contact-based dynamic analysis, vibration-based inverse identification, guided-wave signal processing and Deep Learning methods. A key motivation of the project was to move towards monitoring approaches that can reduce inspection time, limit unnecessary maintenance, and improve the safety and sustainability of composite structures. By enabling earlier and more accurate detection of damage, the project contributes to safer transport and energy systems, more efficient maintenance planning, and longer service life of high-performance engineering structures.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз