Three-dimensional hybrid model for predicting air-coupled generation of guided waves in composite material plates

For contact-less, non-destructive testing (NDT) purposes using air-coupled ultrasonic transducers, it is often required to numerically simulate the propagation of ultrasonic waves in solid media, and their coupling through air with specific transducers. At that point, one could simulate the propagation in the air and then in the solid component, using a Finite Element (FE) model. However, when three-dimensional (3D) modeling becomes necessary, such a solution reveals to be extremely demanding in terms of number of degrees of freedom and computational time. In this paper, to avoid such difficulties, the propagation in air from an ultrasonic transmitter to a tested solid plate is modeled in 3D using a closed-form solution. The knowledge of the transducer characteristics (diameter, frequency bandwidth, efficiency in Pa/V) allows the spatial distribution and actual pressure (in Pa) of the acoustic field produced in the air to be predicted, for a given input voltage. This pressure field is applied in turn as a boundary condition in a 3D FE model, to predict the plate response (displacement and stress guided beams) for a given distance between the transmitter and the plate, and for a given angle of orientation of the transmitter with respect to the plate. The FE model is so restricted to modeling of the solid structure only, thus reducing very significantly the number of degrees of freedom and computational time. The material constituting the plate is considered to be an anisotropic and viscoelastic medium. To validate the whole modeling process, an air-coupled ultrasonic transducer is used and oriented at a specific angle chosen for generating one specific Lamb mode guided along a composite plate sample, and a laser probe measures the normal velocity at different locations on the surface of the plate. In the field of NDT, it is generally suitable to excite a pure Lamb mode in order to ease the interpretation of received signals that would represent waves scattered by defects. After a validation step, the numerical model is then used to investigate the effect of the material anisotropy on the purity of the incident guided mode.     

Air-coupled MUMPs capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers with resonant cavities

This work reports performance improvements of air-coupled capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (CMUTs) using resonant cavities. In order to perform this work, we have designed and manufactured a CMUT employing multi-user microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) processes (MUMPs). The transducer was designed using Helmholtz resonator principles. This was characterised by the dimensions of the cavity and several acoustic ports, which had the form of holes in the CMUT plate. The MUMPs process has the advantage of being low cost which allows the manufacture of economic prototypes. In this paper we show the effects of the resonant cavities and acoustic ports in CMUTs using laser Doppler vibrometry and acoustical measurements. We also use Finite Element (FE) simulations in order to support experimental measurements. The results show that it is possible to enhance the output pressure and bandwidth in air by tuning the resonance frequency of the plate (f_p) with that of the Helmholtz resonator (f_H). The experimental measurements show the plate resonance along with an additional resonance in the output pressure spectrum. This appears due to the effect of the new resonant cavities in the transducer. FE simulations show an increase of 11 dB in the output pressure with respect to that of a theoretical vacuum-sealed cavity MUMPs CMUT by properly tuning the transducer. The bandwidth has been also analyzed by calculating the mechanical Q factor of the tuned CMUT. This has been estimated as 4.5 compared with 7.75 for the vacuum-sealed cavity MUMPs CMUT.     

基于有限元的空耦超声相控阵Lamb波激发与检测

基于非接触式空气耦合超声换能器的无损检测技术在常规板材、纤维复合材料、层状结构材料、粘接界面等的检测中有了长足的发展。但是因为空气耦合超声本身的限制,对于如何提高空气声换能器的发射效率和接收灵敏度、提高检测中接收的信噪比成为这一领域的重要课题。因此有必要结合最新的信号处理技术探索新的无损检测形式。本文通过提出了基于电容式的空气声换能器阵列的构建和制作方法,应用有限元数值方法对一维线阵的空气声换能器阵列的动态偏转特性进行了模拟,并使用构建流固耦合模型对二维的空气声场及板材中的位移场进行计算。通过一维空气耦合相控阵的声束动态偏转激励了各向同性板中的Lamb波A₀ 和S₀模式,并进行了分析,验证了此模型可以进一步用于基于空气耦合相控阵激励的Lamb波的无损检测中。     

Effect of misalignment of air-coupled probes on Ao Lamb mode propagating in a metal plate

Proper alignment of air-coupled ultrasonic transducers for generation and reception of Lamb waves is vital in order to acquire a high amplitude wave group. Any misalignment with either the transmitter or the receiver or both adversely influences the amplitude of a Lamb mode. This paper reports a systematic attempt to quantify the reduction in the amplitude of the fundamental anti-symmetric Lamb mode (A_o) in a metal plate caused by misalignments in air-coupled probes. Three different types of misalignments – linear, orientation and synchronised orientation were deliberately introduced in the transducers, and experiments were performed on a 6 mm thick aluminium plate. Amplitudes of A_o mode measured at various configurations were normalised with that of A_o mode, captured in a reference configuration. Suitable curves fitted over the experimental data points revealed that Gaussian curves represent appropriately the variations in normalised amplitudes of A_o mode. Moreover, analytical expressions were derived to predict the difference in arrival times of Lamb mode(s) due to orientation and synchronised orientation misalignments.     

A noncontact method for determining surface density of nonporous materials with the limp-wall mass law

A new noncontact technique for determining the surface density or mass per unit area of nonporous, homogeneous membranes and foils of sub-wavelength thicknesses is introduced. Surface densities are determined through application of the limp-wall mass law and through-transmission ultrasonic measurements of bulk waves. The ultrasonic measurements are performed with commercially-available, broadband air-coupled ultrasonic transducers. Surface densities of aluminum foil, brass shim, and plastic sheets are typically found to be within 3% of their accepted values.     

An experimental study on the behavior of Ao mode transduced using misaligned air-coupled transducers in composite laminates

Air-coupled transducers can be employed for generation and reception of Lamb waves in composite laminates. To generate and receive a particular Lamb mode, the transducers are oriented in a particular angle. The orientations of transducers also determine amplitude of a particular Lamb mode of interest. Any deviation (misalignment) from the right orientation results in a reduction in the amplitude. Therefore, an attempt has been made to establish variation in amplitude of the fundamental anti-symmetric Lamb mode (A_o) when misalignments were purposefully introduced in the air-coupled probes. In the present work, three different misalignments – linear, orientation and synchronized orientation were envisaged. Experiments were performed on two laminates – unidirectional ([0₃]_s) and cross-ply ([0/90₂/0]_s) of GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic) material. Curves were fitted on experimental data to characterize variation in amplitude of A_o mode in each misalignment. Moreover, wave splitting and merging was observed when the probe(s) was (were) rotated in a particular direction in orientation and synchronized orientation misalignments.     

Polymer composite material characterisation using a laser/air-transducer system

A wide bandwidth 1–3 connectivity piezocomposite air transducer has been used to detect laser-generated ultrasound in a variety of composite materials. Through thickness waveforms in various carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite plates will be presented, as well as a selection of Lamb waves. Signals were also obtained in samples of pultruded glass fibre reinforced composite of different thickness. Using the laser/air-transducer system, images were obtained of machined defects and delaminations by conventional C-scanning methods, and tomographic reconstruction techniques.     

功率超声振动系统的研究进展

功率超声振动系统是功率超声技术中的关键部分,其主要部分包括功率超声换能器、超声变幅杆以及超声工具头或超声辐射器。本文就功率超声换能振动系统设计中经常遇到的一些关键问题进行了简要的归纳和总结,目的在于为功率超声换能器的优化设计和性能改善提供一些有用的设计指南和解决措施。同时,对一些新的功率超声振动系统进行了介绍,并简要分析了其发展趋势和应用领域。     

基于空耦超声的复合材料黏弹性评价方法*

复合材料的黏弹性是表征其内在阻尼机制的重要力学特性,而内在阻尼机制是材料安全性能的一个重要评价指标。该文提出了空气耦合超声波的材料黏弹性评价方法。首先讨论了黏弹性进行评价的相关理论,利用接触式超声波底面回波法与空气耦合超声波透射法对比验证,其结果基本一致,证明了空气耦合超声对材料黏弹性检测的有效性。并且对一批不同铺层方向的碳纤维复合材料进行了评价,其结果与期望值完全相符,验证了该方法的可行性和准确性,为复合材料的动态力学特性评价和安全评价提供了新的思路。     

基于空耦超声Lamb波的金属板状结构内部缺陷检测方法

针对接触式超声检测方法在金属板结构内部缺陷实际工程检测中存在的环境要求高、效率低、操作难度高等问题,提出了空耦超声Lamb波检测方法,该方法能更好地适应现场应用环境,提高检测效率,减少传感器数量。通过有限元仿真和实验分析比较了空耦超声检测与接触式超声检测两种方法接收到的信号和成像效果。结果表明:有限元仿真和实验中,空耦超声检测方法对缺陷位置的定位误差分别为2 mm和3.6 mm,接触式检测方法对缺陷位置的定位误差分别为2 mm和11.3 mm,空耦检测具有较高的定位精度;单侧激励条件下,适合采用A0模态Lamb波对板内缺陷进行检测;空耦超声检测可以通过调整信号接收角度接收单一模态Lamb波,避免伪像产生。该方法为后续金属板状结构内部缺陷的空耦超声检测提供参考。