ZHANG Zhen, XU Haorun, NI Fupeng, XU Haifeng, YANG Weidong, LI Yan
With the continuous advancement of composite manufacturing technology and the requirements of civil aviation for economy, the application of lightweight and high-strength composite structures in the aerospace field has gradually expanded from thin-walled secondary load-bearing structures to large-thickness, variable-section main load-bearing structures. The wide application of these complex composite structural parts has raised higher requirements for their manufacturing reliability verification. However, due to the anisotropy of the composite materials and the complexity of the shape of the aviation structure, defects such as delamination, pores, fiber waviness, and resin-rich layers are prone to occur during the manufacturing process of the main load-bearing composite structure. These microstructural anomalies significantly degrade the macro-mechanical performance of the composite components. Ultrasonic testing has become an important technology of defect detection in aerospace composite structures due to its high penetration, high sensitivity and good applicability. In this paper, we first introduce the types and characteristics of manufacturing defects in aerospace composite structures, focusing on the analysis of the causes of defects such as pores, delamination, fiber waviness and resin-rich layers and their effects on the mechanical properties of the structure. Then, the research progress of ultrasonic testing in the detection of single-type manufacturing defects and mixed-type defects in thin laminate and thick composite structures in recent years is reviewed. Subsequently, the application of artificial intelligence technology in the defect diagnosis of composite structure is discussed. Finally, the challenges faced by the current ultrasonic testing of aviation composite structures are analyzed, and the future development trend is prospected.