Section: Partnerships and Cooperations

Regional Initiatives

Partnership with I2M in Bordeaux supported by Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine

• Title: Imaging complex materials.

• Coordinator: Hélène Barucq

• Other partners: I2M CNRS Université Bordeaux I

The detection, localization and monitoring of the defect evolution in composite materials, concrete and more generally heterogeneous materials is a challenging problem for Aeronautics and energy production. It is already possible to localize defects in homogeneous materials by using methods based on ultrasonic inspection and sometimes, they are usable in particular heterogeneous materials, most of the time in 2D. Classical methods rely on the correspondence between the distance and the propagation time of the wave traveling between the defect and the receivers. In complex media, such a correspondence may be lapsed, for instance when the velocity depends on the frequency (dispersion) or of the propagation direction (anisotropy). The defect signature can also be embedded in the acoustic field sent by the structure (multiple reflections). The complexity of the propagation in heterogeneous materials makes then difficult the accurate localization of the defect, in particular in 3D.

Topological imaging techniques can be applied to heterogeneous media. They can find the positions of defects from two simulations performed in a safe experimental medium. They have been developed at I2M laboratory to carry on 2D single/multi mode inspection in isotropic and anisotropic waveguides. They have also been applied to a highly reflecting medium observed with a single sensor. The objective of this work is to extend the technique to 3D problems. In particular, we are going to handle detection in composite plates and in highly heterogeneous media including a collection of small scatterers.

This project is supported by the Conseil Régional d'Aquitaine, for a duration of 2 years.