Phase aberration correction in ultrasonic phased array non-destructive testing systems

Phase aberration correction for medical ultrasound systems has attracted a great deal of attention. Since phased array techniques are now widely employed for industrial non-destructive testing （NDT） applications in various fields, the problem of phase aberrations in the process of NDT testing is considered. The technique of cross-covariance for phase aberration correction is presented. The performance of the technique for phase aberration correction is tested by means of echo signals obtained in practical non-destructive testing experiment. The results show that the technique has the better accuracy of phase correction.

Non-Destructive Testing of Structures Using Optical and Other Methods: A Review

Non-destructive testing (NDT) of structures is one of the most important tasksof the proper maintenance and diagnosis of machines and constructions structuralcondition. NDT methods contribute to the damage tolerance philosophy used in theaircraft design methodology as well as many other operation and maintenance programsof machinery and constructions. The following study is focusing on overviewing animportant group of NDT methods: the optical and other ones, which found broadapplicability in scientific and industrial studies nowadays. The paper discusses theselected most widely applicable methods, namely, visual testing, ultrasonic testing,radiographic testing, infrared thermography as well as electronic speckle patterninterferometry and shearographic testing. Besides the basic principles of testing usingthese methods, their potential applications in various industrial and technologicalbranches are broadly discussed. The analysis as categorization of the NDT methodsprovided in this paper may help in selection of such methods in diagnosis of varioustypes of structures and defects and damage occurring in these structures.

Compressive Strength of Basic Magnesium Sulfate Cement Coral Aggregate Concrete(MCAC)on Non-Destructive Testing

Basic magnesium sulfate cement coral aggregate concrete(MCAC)is a new type of concrete consisting of basic magnesium sulfate cement,coarse coral aggregate,coral reef sand and seawater.The rebound hammer(RH),the ultrasonic pulse velocity(UPV)and the compressive strength(fcu)tests of 14 sets of cube specimens of the MCAC after 28 d of aging were conducted.The impact of the content and length of sisal fiber on the relationship between the fcu-RH and the fcu-UPV was determined.A mathematical model was established to predict the strength of the MCAC using the UPV,RH,and comprehensive UPV/RH methods and to obtain the curves of test strength.The applicability of the test strength curves of ordinary portland concrete(OPC),light-weight aggregate concrete(LAC),and coral aggregate concrete(CAC)to MCAC was assessed.The results showed that the test strength curves of OPC,LAC and CAC were inappropriate to determine the strength of MCAC using non-destructive method.The relative standard error of the curves of test strength of the RH method and the comprehensive method met the specifications,whereas that of the UPV method did not.

The Testing Strength Curves of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete by Rebound Method and Ultrasonic-rebound Combined Method

The strength curves of lightweight aggregate concrete （LWAC） were tested based on detecting LWAC with density of 1 400-1 900 kg/m3 and LWAC with strength grade of LC15-LC50 by rebound method and ultrasonic-rebound combined method.The results show that the common measured strength curves tested by above two methods can not satisfy the required accuracy of LWAC strength test.In addition,specified compressive strength curves of testing LWAC by rebound method and ultrasonic-rebound combined method are obtained,respectively.

Determining rock crack stress thresholds using ultrasonic through-transmission measurements

The crack initiation stress threshold is widely used in excavation industries as rock spalling strength when designing deep underground structures to avoid unwanted brittle failures.While various strain-based methods have been developed for the estimation of this critical design parameter,such methods are destructive and often requires subjective interpretations of the stress–strain curves,particularly in rocks with pre-existing microcracks or high porosity.This study explore the applicability of non-destructive ultrasonic through-transmission methods for determining rock damage levels by assessing the changes in transmitted signal characteristics during loading.The change in velocity,amplitude,dominant frequency,and root-mean-square voltage are investigated with four different rock types including marble,sandstone,granite,and basalt under various stress levels.Results suggest the rate of signal variations can be reliably used to estimate crack closure and crack initiation stress levels across the tested rocks before failure.Comparison of the results between the conventional techniques and the new proposed methods based on ultrasonic monitoring are further discussed.

Laser ultrasonic testing for near-surface defects inspection of 316L stainless steel fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

The laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)method of additive manufacturing(AM)is increasingly used in various industrial manufacturing fields due to its high material utilization and design freedom of parts.However,the parts produced by L-PBF usually contain such defects as crack and porosity because of the technological characteristics of L-PBF,which affect the quality of the product.Laser ultrasonic testing(LUT)is a potential technology for on-line testing of the L-PBF process.It is a non-contact and non-destructive approach based on signals from abundant waveforms with a wide frequency-band.In this study,a method of LUT for on-line inspection of L-PBF process was proposed,and a system of LUT was established approaching the actual environment of on-line detection to evaluate the method applicability for defects detection of L-PBF parts.The detection results of near-surface defects in L-PBF 316L stainless steel parts show that the crack-type defects with a sub-millimeter level within 0.5 mm depth can be identified,and accordingly,the positions and dimensions information can be acquired.The results were verified by X-ray computed tomography,which indicates that the present method exhibits great potential for on-line inspection of AM processes.

Determination of Bonding Failures in Transparent Materials with Non-Destructive Methods—Evaluation of Climatically Stressed Glued and Laminated Glass Compounds

As part of an international research project—funded by the European Union—capillary glasses for facades are being developed exploiting storage energy by means of fluids flowing through the capillaries. To meet highest visual demands, acrylate adhesives and EVA films are tested as possible bonding materials for the glass setup. Especially non-destructive methods (visual analysis, analysis of birefringent properties and computed tomographic data) are applied to evaluate failure patterns as well as the long-term behavior considering climatic influences. The experimental investigations are presented after different loading periods, providing information of failure developments. In addition, detailed information and scientific findings on the application of computed tomographic analyses are presented.

On the Foundations of the Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Determination of Stresses in Near-the-Surface Layers of Materials： Review

The foundation of the ultrasonic non-destructive determination of stresses in near-the-surface layers of solids is presented. The method is based on the regularities of Rayleigh wave propagation in solids with initial （residual） stresses. A description of the above mentioned method and examples of stress determination are presented. Examples are considered as applied to the residual stresses arising at electric welding and the operating stresses arising at loading.

Simulation as a Support for Ultrasonic Testing

Ultrasonic testing is a very important non-destructive method for testing components for safety of nuclear power plants and other security and delicate parts in other industries. Nowadays, thanks to the development of computer technology, it is possible to simulate processes which occur during ultrasonic testing. That is why numerical simulations are becoming an integral part of non-destructive testing. Simulations are used to determine parameters of ultrasonic examination, especially parameters of probes and scan plan and also in the analysis of results. They are used in such cases, when it is necessary to verify applicability of probes and methods. This verification could be provided on the weld and test block which are not manufactured. It could be also provided on defects, which are not manufactured in test block, but their presence is possible in given weld joint. Simulations are very useful for verifying the propagation of ultrasonic signal in given area (e.g. weld area). If movement of probe is limited, possibility of whole volume scan should be verified.

Optimization of Ultrasonic Extraction Process of Oenanthe benghalensis Polysaccharide by Orthogonal Test

[Objectives] The research aimed to explore extraction method of Oenanthe benghalensis polysaccharide,and determine the optimal process of its ultrasonic extraction by orthogonal test. [Methods] Phenol-sulfuric acid method was used to determine polysaccharide's content. Based on single-factor experiment and orthogonal test,the influences of solid-liquid ratio( A),ultrasonic extraction temperature( B),ultrasonic power( C) and ultrasonic time( D) on extraction rate of O. benghalensis polysaccharide were studied,and the optimal process of ultrasonic extraction was selected. [Results] The influence order of solid-liquid ratio( A),ultrasonic extraction temperature( B),ultrasonic power( C) and ultrasonic time( D) on extraction rate of O. benghalensis polysaccharide was A > D > B > C. Via the orthogonal test,it was determined that the optimal extraction condition of O. benghalensis polysaccharide was as below: solid-liquid ratio 1∶ 25( g/mL),extraction temperature 60℃,extraction power 80 W,extraction time 40 min. Under the condition,extraction rate of O. benghalensis polysaccharide was9. 80%. [Conclusions] The process could provide the reference basis for extracting and producing O. benghalensis polysaccharides.

Damage analysis for particle reinforced metal matrix composite by ultrasonic method

The damage characteristic of particle reinforced metal matrix composite (PMMC) was studied by ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation method. After the sample was damaged induced by tensile load, the ultrasonic wave that propagated in the sample were collected. The damage parameter was defined by ultrasonic parameter and the wave signals were analyzed by correlation method. The results show that with the increase of tensile load, the damage parameter increases and the correlation coefficient decreases. The fracture section morphologies of PMMC under tensile load were observed by SEM. It is found that there are many concaves in the metal matrix. Therefore the damage evolution can be concluded. The initial damage is induced by void nucleation, growth and subsequent coalescence in the matrix or interface separation.

An ultrasonic multi-wave focusing and imaging method for linear phased arrays

To overcome the inherent limits of traditional single wave imaging for nondestructive testing,the multi-wave focusing and imaging method is thoroughly studied.This method makes the compressional waves and shear waves focused in both emission and reception processes,which strengthens the focusing energy and improves the signal-to-noise ratio of received signals.A numerical model is developed to study the characteristics of a multi-wave focusing field.It is shown that the element width approaching 0.8 wavelengths of shear waves can keep a balance between the radiation energy of two waves,which can achieve a desirable multi-wave focusing performance.And an experiment using different imaging methods for a linear phased array is performed.It can be concluded that due to the combination of the propagation and reflection characteristics of two waves,the multi-wave focusing and imaging method can significantly improve the imaging distinguishability of defects and expand the available sweeping range to a sector of-650 to 65°.

Simulation of Ultrasonic Propagation in Transformers within Thermal Fields and Intelligent Methodology for Hot-spot Temperature Recognition

Hot-spot temperature of transformer windings is a crucial indicator of internal defects.However,current methods for measuring the hot-spot temperature of transformers do not apply to those already in operation and suffer from data lag.This study introduces a novel inversion method that combines ultrasonic sensing technology,multiphysics simulation,and the K-nearest neighbors algorithm.Leveraging the penetrative ability and temperature sensitivity of ultrasonic sensing,a detailed physical field simulation model was established.This study extensively investigates the characteristics of ultrasonic wave signals inside transformers.The investigation includes different temperature fields,ranging from 40℃ to 110℃ at 10℃ intervals,and various ultrasonic wave emitter conditions.By extracting the key features of the acoustic signals,such as the peak time,propagation time,and peak amplitude,an accurate inversion of the winding hot-spot temperature is successfully achieved.The results demonstrate that this method achieves a high accuracy rate(98.57%)in inverting the internal winding hot-spot temperatures of transformers,offering an efficient and reliable new approach for measuring winding hot-spot temperatures.

Study of ultrasonic phased array inspection imaging technology for NDT

A research about the ultrasonic phased array imaging principle from A-scan signal to B-scan image for non-destructive testing （NDT） was conducted in this paper, the ultrasonic phased array inspection imaging system used in industrial field was developed and the experiment was performed on the steel testing block by the system with 64 elements, 5 MHz phased array transducer. Experimental results show that the flaws could be accurately detected and the flaws size could be estimated from the B-scan images, and the B-scan images could clearly show the location of the flaws, but the quality of B-scan images needs to be enhanced by digital signal processing and controlling dynamic focusing for improving the image resolution.

Modeling and Experimental Analysis of Roughness Effect on Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation of Micro-crack

A high-precision evaluation of ultrasonic detection sensitivity for a micro-crack can be restricted by a corroded rough surface when the surface microtopography is of the same order of magnitude as the crack depth.In this study,a back-surface micro-crack is considered as a research target.A roughness-modified ultrasonic testing model for micro-cracks is established based on a multi-Gaussian beam model and the principle of phase-screen approximation.The echo signals of micro-cracks and noises corresponding to different rough front surfaces and rough back surfaces are obtained based on a reference reflector signal acquired from a two-dimensional simulation model.Further compari-son between the analytical and numerical models shows that the responses of micro-cracks under the effects of dif-ferent corroded rough surfaces can be accurately predicted.The numerical and analytical results show that the echo signal amplitude of the micro-crack decreases significantly with an increase in roughness,whereas the noise ampli-tude slightly increases.Moreover,the effect of the rough front surface on the echo signal of the micro-crack is greater than that of the rough back surface.When the root-mean-square(RMS)height of the surface microtopography is less than 15μm,the two rough surfaces have less influence on the echo signals detected by a focused transducer with a frequency of 5 MHz and diameter of 6 mm.A method for predicting and evaluating the detection accuracy of micro-cracks under different rough surfaces is proposed by combining the theoretical model and a finite element simulation.Then,a series of rough surface samples containing different micro-cracks are fabricated to experimentally validate the evaluation method.

The Boiler Tube Wall Thickness Quantitative Evaluation Fusing the Magnetic and Ultrasonic Technique

Wall thickness is always a key index for boiler tube inspection in power plant,in order to improve the inspection efficiency and accuracy,a new method fusing the magnetic and ultrasonic technique was proposed.The magnetic technique was used to do full inspection and locate the flaws,and the ultrasonic was employed to implement further quantitative inspection accu- rately.After comparing the precision of the polynomial,exponential and logarithmic function,the polynomial model was selected to fit the relations between the wall thickness and the peak value of magnetic signals,and the data measured by ultrasonic thickness meter was used to calibrate the model parameters online,the defect depth can be sized quickly.The experimental results demon- grate that the model used in this system has better accuracy than the statistics relation model clearly,and it is also suitable for defect evaluation real-time.Moreover,it is unnecessary to have much more experimental data for the curve fitting technology,so it has better practicability than the other methods.

Research on Ultrasonic NDT System for Complex Surface Parts

Aimed at inner quality controlling for complex surface parts, an ultrasonic testing system for complex surface parts has been developed using ultrasonic NDT(Non-destructive Testing)which has features of strong penetration, well direction, high sensitivity, low cost, and harmless to people and material. The technologies of the computer, NC (Numerical control), precision mechanism, signal analysis and processing were integrated in the testing system. The system includes a PC, system software, ultrasonic data acquisition card, stepper motor drive card and five-axis precision mechanical device, etc. The software was developed using WIN98-based VC++. According to CAD data of the parts and interpolation methods, the scanning programs can be programmed. The five-axis scanning system is driven by the CNC(computer numerical control) system to control the attitude of ultrasonic probes. The system’s automatic scanning for complex surface parts, real-time acquiring ultrasonic data and automatic identifying flaw signal have been realized. This system can be used not only for testing complex surface parts, but for testing random curve parts. With fast testing speed, high sensitivity, high testing precision and high reliability, the system has a wide adaptability.

Ultrasonic C-scan inspection of brazed joint in thin panel honeycomb structure

The non-destructive testing of brazed joint in honeycomb structure with thin panel （ thickness ： 0. 2 mm） was studied by ultrasonic C-scan method. Samples with different types of artificial defect were designed; the characteristic signal and the main parameters of the test were determined by the pre-experiment, and then parameters were optimized by orthogonal design, finally the optimum process was verified by a single panel sample. The multiple reflection echoes were chosen as the characteristic signal. The optimal C-scan results were achieved when the 20 MHz focus probe was used, and the pass band range for received signal were selected as 8 - 17. 5 MHz. The defects such as incomplete penetration and core damage can be detected with ultrasonic C-scan, and the detection accuracy can reach to 1 ram.

Non-destructive Evaluation of Absolute Stress in Steel Members Using Shear-Wave Spectroscopy

Non-destructive measurement of absolute stress in steel members can provide useful information to optimize the design of steel structures and allow the safety of existing structures to be evaluated.This paper investigates the non-destructive capability of ultrasonic shear-wave spectroscopy in absolute stress evaluation of steel members.The effect of steel-member stress on the shear-wave amplitude spectrum is investigated,and a method of absolute stress measurement is proposed.Specifically,the process for evaluating absolute stress using shear-wave spectroscopy is summarized.Two steel members are employed to investigate the relationship between the stress and the frequency in shear-wave echo amplitude spectrum.The H-beam loaded by the universal testing machine is evaluated by the proposed method and the traditional strain gauge method for verification.The results show that the proposed method is effective and accurate for determining absolute stress in steel members.

Application of the digital matched-filter technique to ultrasonic non-destructive testing

Acoustic-pulse compression is obtained in systems with different timebandwidth products by applying the digital matched-filter technique to ultrasonic non-destructive testing. The signal is linearly frequency -modulated (LFM) pulse and the digitized electrical-excitation signal itself is used as a digital matched filter. Experimental results are in good agreement with theory. Suppressions of side lobes achieve -41.9 dB and -41.5 dB for the Hamming and Gaussian weighted signals respectively. It shows that the application of the digital matched-filter technique improves the performances of a ultrasonic testing system explicitly.