skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Application of Different X-ray Techniques to Improve In-Service Carbon Fiber Reinforced Rope Inspection

Journal Article · · Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation
 [1];  [2];  [1];  [2]
  1. BAM Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (Germany)
  2. Aalto University, Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering (Finland)

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer ropes are gaining in significance in the fields of civil engineering and hoisting applications. Thus, methods of non-destructive testing (NDT) need to be developed and evaluated with respect to new challenges and types of defects. Particularly important is the development of in-service testing solutions which allow the integration in global online monitoring systems. Conventional methods like electrical resistivity or strain measurements using optical fibers are already in use. This study investigates the possibility of using various X-ray techniques to increase the reliability and significance of NDT and their applicability to in-service testing. Conventional film radiography is the most common technique; however, even after image enhancement of the digitized film, this technique lacks contrast sensitivity and dynamic range compared to digital detector array (DDA) radiography. The DDA radiography is a highly sensitive method; yet, the limitation is that it delivers 2D images of 3D objects. By the use of co-planar translational laminography the detectability of planar defects is superior to 2D methods due to multiple projection angles. Apart from this, it can be used on-site due to a rather simple setup and robust equipment. In this work two photon counting detectors (PCD) with different sensor materials (Si and CdTe) were used. The results show that the resolution and defect recognition is lower in case of DDA radiography and laminography using PCDs compared to high-resolution computed tomography. However, the DDA radiography and laminography are sensitive enough to both fiber breakage and delaminations and can be significantly advantageous in terms of measurement time and adaptability for on-site monitoring.

OSTI ID:
22811815
Journal Information:
Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol. 36, Issue 4; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2017 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature; Article Copyright (c) 2017 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC; http://www.springer-ny.com; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0195-9298
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English