Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Euan A. Foster, Nina E. Sweeney, Ewan Nicolson, Jonathan Singh, Muhammad K. Rizwan, David Lines, Gareth Pierce, Ehsan Mohseni, Anthony Gachagan, Katherine M. M. Tant, Charles N. MacLeod
Summary: On modern manufacturing production lines, integrating the inspection of components as they are manufactured can alleviate the bottleneck caused by Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). However, new technical challenges arise, especially for welded components where high temperatures and thermal gradients affect ultrasonic inspection. This paper presents a novel thermal compensation strategy, validated through simulations and experiments, to mitigate the thermal effects and generate high-quality ultrasonic images closer to the point of manufacture.
NDT & E INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Dicky Silitonga, Nico F. Declercq, Pascal Pomarede, Fodil Meraghni, Bertrand Boussert, Pooja Dubey
Summary: With the rapid growth of solar photovoltaics power system and its significant role in the future global energy mix, ensuring the reliability of the system becomes crucial. Nondestructive inspection, particularly using ultrasonic guided waves, is essential in detecting defects in solar photovoltaic modules. This research investigates the prospect of harnessing ultrasonic guided waves, specifically Lamb waves, to detect cracks in thin film photovoltaic modules. Numerical and experimental methods are used to reveal various Lamb modes in the structure, and the most sensitive mode to cracks is identified.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Geological
Jingjing Dai, Jianfeng Liu, Lulin Zhou, Xin He
Summary: The spectrum and attenuation of seismic waves, significantly influenced by fractures and faults, can help clarify the physical mechanism of subtle changes in rock properties. This study used an active real-time ultrasonic method to analyze the anisotropy and stress correlation of frequency spectrum and intrinsic attenuation in shale specimens with different bedding inclinations. The study also evaluated the potential of ultrasonic features for damage characterization.
ROCK MECHANICS AND ROCK ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Alexander R. K. Towlson, Anthony J. Croxford, Bruce W. Drinkwater
Summary: This article explores the use of a 40-kHz air-coupled ultrasonic array in detecting and imaging blockages and defects in buried pipes with 17-26 wavelengths in diameter at short ranges. The study finds that even low numbers of transducers (<25) are capable of producing accurate contours of blockages, but this restricts the resolving power. Arrays with more transducers ultimately image better by having greater density, resulting in improved contrast. Additionally, the interference between direct reflections and reflections via the pipe wall creates a low-amplitude band in all images of planar objects.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
L'ubomir Gajdos, Martin Sperl, Jan Bayer, Jiri Kuzelka
Summary: The article compared two predictive methods for J integral assessments of cracked plates and pipes made from X52 and X70 steels. The GSM method and the FC method were found to yield similar J integral values, with GSM being slightly more conservative. Both methods provided conservative results for most crack configurations, but were less conservative for cracks with a relative length smaller than 1/8.
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Di Sun, Wujun Zhu, Xunlin Qiu, Lishuai Liu, Yanxun Xiang, Fu -Zhen Xuan
Summary: In this paper, a method for accurately detecting closed cracks using nonlinear Lamb waves with phase-velocity mismatching is proposed, which excludes the intrinsic material nonlinearity. Simulations and experimental studies were conducted to analyze the double frequency Lamb waves induced by the closed cracks and the intrinsic material nonlinearity. The results show that the double frequency Lamb waves induced by material nonlinearity are negligible compared to those caused by the contact acoustic nonlinearity of the closed cracks. The proposed method can accurately detect closed cracks, and the acoustic nonlinearity parameter increases monotonically with crack evolution. The findings of this study provide a feasible method for the detection and characterization of closed cracks.
NDT & E INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Jay Shah, Said El-Hawwat, Hao Wang
Summary: This study demonstrates the potential of Ultrasonic Testing (UT) for detecting cracks in non-welded regions of Polyethylene (PE) pipes. Experimental results show that UT can effectively detect cracks with lengths equal to or greater than the wavelength of the interacting mode, while smaller crack lengths require greater crack depths for detection. However, there are potential limitations in the proposed technique related to crack orientation.
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Wujun Zhu, Zisheng Xu, Yanxun Xiang, Changjun Liu, Mingxi Deng, Xunlin Qiu, Di Sun, Fuzhen Xuan
Summary: The study shows that SCLWs are more sensitive to crack length, width, and orientation angle, making them useful for detecting the evolution of partially closed cracks in metal plates. Additionally, the acoustic nonlinearity parameter increases monotonically with increasing fatigue crack length.
NDT & E INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Luis Reis, Pedro R. Da Costa, Ricardo Pereira, Diogo Montalvao, Manuel Freitas
Summary: Ultrasonic fatigue testing machines and related research have been continuously growing, allowing researchers to study fatigue, fatigue strength, and fracture mechanics in the Very High Cycle Fatigue (VHCF) regime. Most of the published research to date focuses on uniaxial fatigue testing, but there is a growing interest in multiaxial ultrasonic testing. This study focuses on analyzing the crack path, critical initiation angle, and fracture surface under different biaxial loading conditions.
ENGINEERING FAILURE ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Nan Zhang, Liang Zeng, Jing Lin, Yongsheng Shao
Summary: This paper utilizes different types of wave reflections to display crack details, locates reflection points using geometric methods and linearly fits crack trends for estimating crack length and angle. Results show that the proposed method can accurately evaluate cracks and reconstruct crack shapes in detail.
SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Civil
Zhiwei Song, Siu-Kai Lai, Jian-Guo Dai
Summary: In this paper, two refined models are proposed for the vibration analysis of thin plates with part-through surface cracks. The models can handle different types of cracks and complement the deficiencies of the conventional model for analyzing crack depth problems. Parametric studies are conducted to validate the performance and accuracy of the models.
THIN-WALLED STRUCTURES
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Xiang Wan, Meiru Liu, Xuhui Zhang, Hongwei Fan, Qinghua Mao, Ming Dong, Xing Wang, Hongwei Ma
Summary: In this study, the excitation and propagation of ultrasonic guided waves were proposed for detecting defects in hexagonal pipes. Through deriving dispersion curves, the longitudinal L(0, 2) mode was selected for inspection. The results demonstrated the promising and effective alternative of using ultrasonic guided waves for defect detection in hexagonal pipe structures.
SHOCK AND VIBRATION
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Taiki Suwa, Makoto Fujiu, Yuma Morisaki, Tomotaka Fukuoka
Summary: This study aims to predict the soundness of sewage pipes in more detail by setting up different categories and uses SHAP to interpret the model and quantify the influence of various factors on pipe deterioration. The knowledge obtained can provide useful information for the sustainable operation of sewage systems.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Euan Craig Rodgers, Stefano Mariani, Peter Cawley
Summary: This paper presents a novel guided wave monitoring technique for the detection of axial cracking in piping. The technique uses circumferential waves and finite element analysis to effectively detect small defect reflections. Temperature compensation allows for long-term monitoring with high probability of detection and minimal false alarms.
STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Mechanics
Zhengguang Xiao, Yaogang Wu, Dinghe Li
Summary: This paper proposes a thermo-electro-mechanical extended layerwise method for studying the dynamic problems of piezoelectric laminates with delaminations or/and transverse cracks. The method uses strong discontinuous functions and the extended finite element method to model delaminations and transverse cracks, respectively. The Newmark integration algorithm and Crank-Nicolson scheme are used to solve the transient multi-physical fields simultaneously. The proposed method is validated through numerical examples with a three-dimensional model.
COMPOSITE STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
S. G. Haslinger, M. J. S. Lowe, R. Craster, P. Huthwaite, F. Shi
Summary: Planar defects occurring in industrial plant operation can impact non-destructive testing used for structural integrity management. While smooth defect modeling is mature, rough defects pose challenges. A new statistical model predicts significant increases in signal amplitude, providing valuable insights for inspection qualification, with rigorous validations conducted.
Article
Acoustics
Yuan Liu, Michal K. Kalkowski, Ming Huang, Michael J. S. Lowe, Vykintas Samaitis, Vaidotas Cicenas, Andreas Schumm
Summary: This paper investigates the potential of using attenuation measurements to assess the ultrasonic inspectability of coarse-grained components. Results show good agreement between experiments and simulations, with suggestions for the reasons for discrepancies. The study highlights the non-uniqueness of the relationship between log-normal grain size distribution parameters and attenuation.
Article
Acoustics
Madis Ratassepp, Jing Rao, Xudong Yu, Zheng Fan
Summary: Most ultrasonic-guided wave tomography methods assume an isotropic material model, which limits their application on anisotropic materials. This study proposes an anisotropic formulation of the acoustic forward model and validates its performance in velocity reconstruction for anisotropic plates.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Stewart G. Haslinger, Michael J. S. Lowe, Zhengjun Wang, Fan Shi
Summary: This article investigates the implementation of ToFD methods for sizing rough defects using a purely theoretical approach, and uses high-fidelity finite element modeling and stochastic Monte Carlo methods to provide physical and statistical insights on the dependence on incident beam angle and degree of roughness for planar defects. It explores the complexity of rough defects compared to smooth defects in ultrasonic ToFD techniques, and examines the effects of roughness on the accuracy of crack sizing with statistical analysis.
NDT & E INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ming Huang, Peter Huthwaite, Stanislav Rokhlin, Michael J. S. Lowe
Summary: This study investigates the scattering-induced elastic wave attenuation and phase velocity variation in three-dimensional untextured cubic polycrystals using the theoretical second-order approximation, Born approximation models, and the grain-scale finite-element model. The results show good agreement between the theoretical and finite-element models for materials with Zener anisotropy indices greater than 1. However, the agreement deteriorates as the anisotropy index increases. The finite-element model reveals strong scattering at low frequencies in strongly scattering materials that cannot be fully accounted for by the theoretical models. A semi-analytical model is proposed to address this issue and shows remarkable agreement with the finite-element model for all studied materials.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Carlos-Omar Rasgado-Moreno, Marek Rist, Raul Land, Madis Ratassepp
Summary: In this study, a two-dimensional acoustic forward model was developed to replace the complex three-dimensional bend domain, allowing the monitoring and prediction of the whole bend area in guided wave tomography by using Thomsen parameters to make the rectangular domain artificially anisotropic.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Filip Szlaszynski, Michael J. S. Lowe, Peter Huthwaite
Summary: Detection and assessment of defects in inaccessible locations in pipelines are challenging for many industries. This paper proposes the use of Plane Wave Imaging (PWI) in guided wave testing (GWT) to improve defect characterization in nearby locations. Experimental and finite element studies show that PWI achieves superior resolution compared to other synthetic focusing imaging techniques. The study concludes that PWI is a more attractive choice for pipe GWT, offering good resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ming Huang, Stanislav I. Rokhlin, Michael J. S. Lowe
Summary: This paper evaluates the scattering theory of plane longitudinal wave propagation in untextured polycrystals using three-dimensional grain-scale finite-element simulations. Two approximate models are proposed to achieve more accurate calculations.
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Evripides Georgiades, Michael J. S. Lowe, Richard V. Craster
Summary: Leaky waves are important for guiding waves along embedded structures. Mismatch in wavespeeds leads to energy leakage, attenuating the guided wave. Accurate identification of leaky wave solutions is crucial for non-destructive evaluation techniques. By improving spectral collocation method, leaky wave solutions can be efficiently determined.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Acoustics
Georgios Sarris, Stewart G. Haslinger, Peter Huthwaite, Michael J. S. Lowe
Summary: The reduction in propagation speed of ultrasonic waves when passing through a fatigue zone has been studied, showing that shear waves are more affected than longitudinal waves. In this study, we validate the increased sensitivity of shear waves to fatigue by measuring the change in propagation speed on flat geometries. Using EMATs, we demonstrate the possibility of fatigue damage inspection on inner surfaces of pressure-containing components in the nuclear power industry.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ULTRASONICS FERROELECTRICS AND FREQUENCY CONTROL
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Characterization & Testing
Georgios Sarris, Stewart G. Haslinger, Peter Huthwaite, Michael J. S. Lowe
Summary: Fatigue zones in materials can be detected using ultrasonic waves, but the small changes in average propagation speed across the full thickness make it difficult to correlate with specific fatigue states. In this study, Rayleigh waves were used to amplify the changes in speed and successfully assessed fatigue states. The use of a stiffness-reducing finite-element modelling technique also provided accurate predictions of wave speed reduction.
NDT & E INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Acoustics
Georgios Sarris, Stewart G. G. Haslinger, Peter Huthwaite, Peter B. B. Nagy, Michael J. S. Lowe
Summary: In this study, the phenomenon of Rayleigh wave attenuation due to surface roughness is investigated using finite element modeling. The results show good agreement between the finite element results and theory in different scattering regimes, and also extend the validity of the theory.
JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Michal K. Kalkowski, Zoltan Bezi, Michael J. S. Lowe, Andreas Schumm, Bernadett Spisak, Szabolcs Szavai
Summary: The basic principle of ultrasound is to use the time of flight of a received echo to determine the location of a reflector. However, this principle may not hold true in austenitic welds due to differences in local sound velocity caused by large oriented austenitic grains. Scattering at grain boundaries further complicates the inspection process. Incorporating material information into imaging algorithms can improve image quality and aid interpretation.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Carlos-Omar Rasgado-Moreno, Madis Ratassepp
Summary: This study introduces a method for guided wave tomography of pipe bends, which provides accurate defect information by solving an inversion problem and using a synthetic dataset. To overcome the limitation of 2D models that do not consider the cyclic nature of pipes, a method based on the pipe geometry and geodesic equations of a torus is proposed to compute the propagation distance and separate the helical path trajectories. The results show that the geodesic distances preserve the information of the wavefront of interest.
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS AND SIGNAL PROCESSING
(2023)
Proceedings Paper
Acoustics
George West, Emma Harris, Michael Lowe, Jeff Bamber, Peter Huthwaite
Summary: The study tested the ability of the multi-band finite element method to simulate the frequency dependence of attenuation of ultrasound within soft tissue materials, and found that the calculated signal loss agreed with the measured signal loss within the simulation to a high degree, reproducing the input parameters accurately.
INTERNATIONAL ULTRASONICS SYMPOSIUM (IEEE IUS 2021)
(2021)
