Instantaneous wavenumber estimation for damage quantification in layered plate structures

Guided wavefield detection is at the basis of a number of promising techniques for the identification and the characterization of damage in plate structures. Among the processing techniques proposed, the estimation of instantaneous and local wavenumbers can lead to effective metrics that quantify the extent of delaminations in composite plates. This paper illustrates the application of instantaneous and local wavenumber damage quantification techniques for high frequency guided wave interrogation. The proposed methodologies can be considered as first steps towards a hybrid structural health monitoring/ nondestructive evaluation approach for damage assessment in composites.