A comparison of multi-scale 3D X-ray tomographic inspection techniques for assessing carbon fibre composite impact damage

Tomographic imaging using both laboratory sources and synchrotron radiation (SR) was performed to achieve a multi-scale damage assessment of carbon fibre composites subjected to impact damage, allowing various internal damage modes to be studied in three-dimensions. The focus of this study is the comparison of different tomographic methods, identifying their capabilities and limitations, and their use in a complementary manner for creating an overall 3D damage assessment at both macroscopic and microscopic levels. Overall, microfocus laboratory computed tomography (μCT) offers efficient routine assessment of damage at mesoscopic and macroscopic levels in engineering-scale test coupons and relatively high spatial resolutions on trimmed-down samples; whilst synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT) and computed laminography (SRCL) offer scans with the highest image quality, particularly given the short acquisition times, allowing damage micromechanisms to be studied in detail.