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Evaluating the freeze–thaw phenomenon in sandwich-structured composites via numerical simulations and infrared thermography

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Abstract

The water ingress phenomenon in sandwich-structured composites used in the aerospace/aeronautical sector is a current issue. This type of defect can cause in the course of time several other defects at the boundary, such as corrosions, deformations, detachments. In fact, water may change its state of physical matter going towards the freeze–thaw cycle caused by the atmosphere re-entry of, e.g. space probes. In this work, the alveoli of a composite laminate have been filled with water, which was initially transformed into ice. By taking into account, the known quantity of water, the freeze–thaw cycle was simulated by Comsol Multiphysics® software, reproducing exactly the shape of the sandwich as well as the real conditions in which it was subsequently subjected in a climatic chamber. The experimental part consisted of monitoring the front side of the specimen by means of a thermal camera operating into the long-wave infrared spectrum, and by setting both the temperature and the relative humidity of the test chamber according to the values imposed during the numerical simulation step. It was found that the numerical and experimental temperature trends are in good agreement with each other since the model was built by following a physico-chemical point-of-view. It was also seen that the application of the independent component thermography (ICT) technique was able both to retrieve the positions of the defects (i.e. the water inclusions) and to characterize the defects in which a detachment (fabricated between the fibres and the resin) is present; the latter was realized above an inclusion caused by the water ingress. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that ICT is applied to satisfy this purpose.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to thank Eng. E. Valentini from Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), Monteprandone—Ascoli Piceno (AP), Italy, for providing the sandwich panel sample. This work was financially supported by: UID/ECI/04708/2019—CONSTRUCT—Instituto de I&D em Estruturas e Construções funded by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial and Information Engineering and Economics (DIIIE), University of L’Aquila, Piazzale E. Pontieri 1, 67100, Monteluco di Roio – L’Aquila, AQ, Italy

    Stefano Sfarra & Stefano Perilli

  2. Tomsk Polytechnic University, Lenin Av., 7, Tomsk, Russia, 634050

    Stefano Sfarra

  3. Department of Project and Construction Engineering – Group of Construction Research and Innovation (GRIC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya – UPC, C/Colom 11, Edifici TR5, 08222, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain

    Blanca Tejedor

  4. CONSTRUCT – LFC, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465, Porto, Portugal

    Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida & Eva Barreira

  5. Department of Civil Engineering, School of Technology and Management, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, Campus Politécnico de Repeses, 3504-510, Viseu, Portugal

    Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida

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  1. Stefano Sfarra
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Sfarra, S., Tejedor, B., Perilli, S. et al. Evaluating the freeze–thaw phenomenon in sandwich-structured composites via numerical simulations and infrared thermography. J Therm Anal Calorim 145, 3105–3123 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-020-09985-1

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