Ultrasonic immersion tests for mechanical characterization of multilayered anisotropic materials

We apply an innovative experimental approach based on ultrasonic immersion tests for the characterization of the elastic response of a multi-layered anisotropic GFRP composite. The good agreement between the results of the nondestructive measurements and the results of standard destructive mechanical tests shows the effectiveness of the proposed experimental setup. Moreover, the accuracy of the ultrasonic test allows for the identification of the layer of the composite specimen: this can be very useful in view of the characterization of micro-cracks, damage and delamination.