Abstract
The use of ultrasonic wave technology was anticipated as an important technology in monitoring the health of composite materials and/or structures. However, the propagation of ultrasonic wave becomes very complicated in polymer-based composite materials due to reflection, transmission, dispersion and other behaviors, which may occur at the interface of the matrix and reinforcements. Therefore, in this study, the elastic wave motion equation is evaluated using finite element analysis; then the propagation of ultrasonic waves in several model composite materials was simulated. The influences of the fiber/matrix interface, fiber size and other fiber properties on wave propagation were clarified. Moreover, the complicated propagation resulting from reflection, transmission and refraction on the fiber/matrix interface was visualized, and the influences of the arrangement of the fibers, the debonding position at the interface, and the volume fraction of fiber are discussed.