Through transmission ultrasonic inspection of fiber waviness for thickness-tapered composites using ultrasound non-reciprocity: Simulation and experiment

•Wave propagation behaviors in wavy composites were comparatively investigated through simulation and experiment.•Influence of polymer viscoelasticity on the inspection of fiber waviness using wave attenuation method was revealed.•Reliable solution to fiber waviness inspection in both plain and thickness tapered composites was proposed using wave non-reciprocity.