Non-destructive testing of light armours of CFRP after ballistic impacts by IR thermography methods

Mull-layered composites are frequently used in many military applications as constructional materials and light armours protecting personnel and armament against fragments and bullets. One of the many methods used in non-destructive testing of composites is active infrared thermography. In active thermography it is necessary to deliver energy to the examined sample in order to obtain significant temperature differences indicating the presence of subsurface anomalies. To detect possible defects in composite materials different methods of thermal stimulation can be applied to the tested material, these include heating lamps, lasers, eddy currents, microwaves or ultrasounds. The use of a suitable source of thermal stimulation on the test material can have a decisive influence on the detection or failure to detect defects. Non-destructive testing was carried out using the following sources of thermal stimulation, heating lamp, flash lamp, ultrasound and eddy currents. The paper presents the possibility of applying IR thermography methods for detecting defects in ballistic covers made of carbon fiber reinforced composites used in the construction of military vehicles.