Comparative Analysis of Impact Damage in Thermoplastic and Thermoset CFRP Tubes Using Industrial Computed Tomography

The increasing demand for lightweight, high-performance materials in aerospace and urban air mobility (UAM) has accelerated the adoption of carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). Despite their excellent specific properties, impact damage remains a critical challenge – Low-energy damages, which are barely visible, can compromise structural integrity. Because of these impact damages advanced inspection methods beyond surface observation like industrial X‑ray computed tomography (CT) and complementary NDT techniques are needed. They reveal interlaminar delamination and intralaminar matrix cracking [1]. This study uses industrial computed tomography (CT) to compare the impact damage mechanisms of thermoplastic (TP) and thermoset (TS) CFRP tubes [2]. Standardized drop-weight impacts were applied, accompanied by multiscale CT scans at pre impact and post-impact states. Results show that first CT‑visible indications occur in TP, while the TS tube appears intact. With increasing energy, TS develops extensive, multi‑interface delaminations and higher connectivity, whereas TP damage exhibits localized matrix plastic deformation, and constrained delamination. These findings show the fundamental differences in damage physics between different matrix classes and highlight industrial CT as an important tool for objective damage characterization and acceptance criteria in aerospace maintenance workflows. Planned future work will evaluate repair strategies using the same CT-based methodology.