Validation of active thermography techniques for the characterization of CFRP structures

Lockin thermography as well as flash thermography are very well suited for non-destructive testing and characterisation of inhomogeneities and damage in CFRP structures. Both methods are applied more and more in research and industry, but until know it is not clear which are the advantages of one method against the other. In this paper, results of two research projects concerning the validation and standardisation of both methods are presented. Three different types of CFRP test specimens consisting of well-defined flat bottom holes, of artificial delaminations made of PTFE plates embedded in CFRP and of real impact damage have been investigated systematically with flash and lockin excitation. Here, the phase images of both methods are compared qualitatively as well as quantitatively.