A review of microwave testing of glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites

Microwave non-destructive testing has received extensive attention in recent years owing to its advantages of non-contact inspection, no need for a coupling medium or sensors attached on the object surface, a relatively easy measurement setup and no ionising radiation hazards. As an alternative method, it has been used for monitoring and evaluation of the structural integrity of glass fibre-reinforced polymer composite structures. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the microwave-based techniques for composites, including material characterisation, strain sensing, near-field and far-field damage detection, and microwave-based thermography. Discussions on the research trends are presented.