Characterization of defects in carbon fiber-reinforced plastics by inverse heat conduction analysis using transfer matrix between layers

In this study, inverse analyses of the defects in carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRPs) are performed using the transfer matrix approach. The material properties used in the calculation were obtained on the basis of mixture laws for epoxy resin and carbon fibers. The accuracy of the inverse analysis was confirmed by calculations employing numerical models of CFRP plates with PAN-based and pitch-based carbon fibers containing defects. The inverse analysis was conducted based on the temperature distribution of CFRP laminates with PAN-based carbon fibers, which was obtained by infrared measurements. The analyses successfully estimated the positions of defects, and the effectiveness of the transfer matrix method for CFRPs was demonstrated through the inverse analysis.