Thermographic Characterization of Impact Damage in SiC/SiC Composite Materials

SiC/SiC composite materials targeted as turbine components for next-generation aero-engines are being investigated at NASA Glenn Research Center. In order to examine damage mechanisms in these materials, SiC/SiC coupons were impacted with 1.59 mm diameter steel spheres at increasing velocities from 115 m/s to 400 m/s. Pulsed thermography, a nondestructive evaluation technique that monitors the thermal response of a sample over time, was utilized to characterize the impact damage. A thermal standard of similar material was fabricated to aid in the interpretation of the thermographic data and to provide information regarding thermography system detection capabilities in 2.4 mm thick SiC/SiC composite materials. Flat bottom holes at various depths with aspect ratios greater than 2.5 were detectable in the thermal images. In addition, the edges of holes at depths of 1.93 mm into the sample were not as resolvable as flat bottom holes closer to the surface. Finally, cooling behavior was characterized in SiC/SiC materials and used to determine impact damage depth within an 8.5% error of a known depth.