Overview of Microwave NDT Techniques for Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites

In this article, a comprehensive overview of microwaves-based non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques for carbon fibre- and glass fibre-reinforced polymer composites is presented. These lightweight composites have been widely employed in aerospace, naval, automotive, construction, electronics and wind energy industries. Monitoring the structural integrity is critical for the maintenance and repair of such heterogeneous composite structures. Traditional ultrasonic methods do not always identify defects or damage in such structures. In that case, microwave NDT techniques can provide a complementary modality. The microwave NDT has been adopted for material characterisation, quality assessment and damage detection. Wider applications will be expected, as more low-cost microwave components become commercially available.