Patents Assigned to Board of Regents of the OU
  • Patent number: 5031457
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for nondestructively determining fiber volume fraction and resin porosity of a composite material constructed of at least two different constituent materials wherein the following parameters of the composite material to be tested are known: density, elastic moduli of the constituent materials and layup sequence. Two acoustic waves of different polarizations are propagated through the composite material and the acoustic waves propagated through the composite material are sensed and the velocity of each of the two acoustic waves, V.sub.1 and V.sub.2, are determined. The thickness of the composite material is determined. The fiber volume fraction and resin porosity of the composite material are then determined using the velocities, V.sub.1 and V.sub.2, the thickness and known parameters of density, elastic moduli of the constituent materials and layup sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1991
    Assignee: Board of Regents of the OU
    Inventor: Ronald A. Kline