Two-dimensional simulation of the single-sided air-coupled ultrasonic pitch-catch technique for non-destructive testing

Non-contact air-coupled ultrasonic inspection of materials using single-sided access offers interesting possibilities for the development of in-line non-destructive testing (NDT) systems. This contribution reports observations and simulations obtained from a single-sided air-coupled pitch-catch configuration. The pitch-catch technique involves a set-up in which transmitter and receiver are located at the same side of the test object. Sound waves, reflected once or multiple times from the back-wall of the object or refracted by a discontinuity, are recorded and analyzed for visualization. The feasibility of the technique is demonstrated, experimentally, in the case of artificial defects in aluminium samples. Depending on the configuration one or more ultrasonic images of the defect can be observed, their number and relative position containing information about the location of the defect. The experiments are simulated using two distinctive methods. The first simulation is based on a ray tracing (shadow) approach, the second method uses a spectral solution implemented within Comsol. Both simulation methods allow simple prediction of the response images in experimental conditions with supplementary levels of complexity, which will assist the development and optimization of online inspection techniques.     

空气耦合超声检测复合材料研究综述*

复合材料普遍具有高比强度、高比刚度、高模量、耐腐蚀等优异性能,广泛应用于飞机机翼、导弹外壳、航空发动机壳体等部位。制造和服役过程中各类缺陷影响复合材料的力学性能和服役性能,必须采用有效的方法准确检测和评估复合材料中各类缺陷。空气耦合式超声检测具有完全非接触、非侵入、无损伤和无需耦合剂的特点,能够很好地运用于复合材料的在线和在位检测。该文就近年来空气耦合超声检测技术的研究现状进行了系统综述,简明扼要地分析和介绍了当前空气耦合超声检测的研究热点及进展,重点介绍了1-3型压电复合材料换能器、信号处理技术、相控聚焦式空气耦合超声检测、超声在复合材料的传播特性及其与缺陷交互作用的研究现状,探讨了空气耦合超声无损检测技术与仪器的发展方向,总结了目前空气耦合超声检测的研究热点问题,最后展望了空气耦合超声检测的发展趋势和应用前景。     

Temperature effects in ultrasonic Lamb wave structural health monitoring systems

There is a need to better understand the effect of temperature changes on the response of ultrasonic guided-wave pitch-catch systems used for structural health monitoring. A model is proposed to account for all relevant temperature-dependent parameters of a pitch-catch system on an isotropic plate, including the actuator-plate and plate-sensor interactions through shear-lag behavior, the piezoelectric and dielectric permittivity properties of the transducers, and the Lamb wave dispersion properties of the substrate plate. The model is used to predict the S(0) and A(0) response spectra in aluminum plates for the temperature range of -40-+60 degrees C, which accounts for normal aircraft operations. The transducers examined are monolithic PZT-5A [PZT denotes Pb(Zr-Ti)O3] patches and flexible macrofiber composite type P1 patches. The study shows substantial changes in Lamb wave amplitude response caused solely by temperature excursions. It is also shown that, for the transducers considered, the response amplitude changes follow two opposite trends below and above ambient temperature (20 degrees C), respectively. These results can provide a basis for the compensation of temperature effects in guided-wave damage detection systems.     

Generation and reception of wideband ultrasound

A previous article on ultrasonic spectroscopy described the applications of wideband ultrasonic techniques to materials testing. Here it is shown how wideband (0.5–20 MHz) transducers for pulse-echo systems can be produced. Excitation is achieved by specially-shaped electrical pulses while, for the reception mode, high-gain wideband amplifiers and gates are available. Frequency analysis of the ultrasonic pulses is carried out by a novel, inexpensive spectrum analyser. New ideas for data processing, both analogue and digital, are reviewed.     

光弹法测量超声换能器声场

超声换能器声场的测试对于超声检测具有基础性作用,而传统的超声换能器声场测试方法具有一些局限性。本文介绍了搭建的动态激光光弹实验平台,并利用动态光弹法测量了纵波换能器和横波换能器辐射声场的特征,由瞬态声场图像获得了传声介质的声波速度及超声换能器的中心频率;由稳态声场图像获得了声场的近场长度、指向性和扩散角等参数;分析了光弹实验系统和测量方法可能引起测量误差。本文结果表明动态光弹法是一种有效的定量测量超声换能器声场的方法。     

非侵入式超声波浆料浓度测量技术研究*

设计了一种基于非侵入式超声波透射衰减法的浆料浓度测量系统,根据超声传播衰减原理,建立超声衰减值与浆料浓度之间的关系。实验中采用生物显微镜和激光粒度仪对颗粒标称粒径进行验证,采用中心频率为200 kHz的超声波换能器,利用一发一收模式对超声波在有机玻璃管内的浆料进行非侵入式测量并分析透射波信号,对体积百分浓度小于25%、不同粒径的石英砂浆料进行测量,通过拟合方法获得浆料温度、体积百分浓度与声衰减对应的关系,并据此构造浓度求解方程,通过现场实时在线测量并与取样结果进行对比验证方程的准确性,结果显示,本方法可有效测量浆料浓度。     

Modeling of lamb waves generated by integrated transducers in composite plates using a coupled finite element-normal modes expansion method

Thin piezoelectric transducers attached to or embedded within composite structures could be used for in situ structural health monitoring. For plate-shaped structures, the useful ultrasonic vibration modes are Lamb waves. Preliminary testing has already demonstrated the suitability and practical feasibility of such integrated transducers, but better control of the generation of Lamb modes seems to be necessary. Therefore, an original modeling approach has been developed, which can be used to design and optimize these "sensitive materials." This modeling technique allows the determination of the amplitude of each Lamb mode excited in a composite plate with surface-bonded or bulk-embedded piezoelectric elements. The method consists of a coupling of the finite element method (FEM) and the normal modes expansion method. The limited finite element mesh of the transducer and its vicinity enables the computation of the mechanical field created by the transducer, which is then introduced as a forcing function into the normal modes equations. The adequacy and accuracy of this modeling method have been numerically and experimentally verified.     

The use of broadband acoustic transducers and pulse-compression techniques for air-coupled ultrasonic imaging

A pulse-compression technique has been applied to air-coupled testing of solid materials. Capacitance transducers were used to generate wide bandwidth swept-frequency (chirp) signals in air, which were then used to measure and image solid samples in through transmission. The results demonstrate that such signal processing techniques lead to an improvement in the signal to noise ratio and timing accuracy for air-coupled testing. Measurements of thickness and spectroscopic experiments are presented. Images of defects in a wide range of materials, including metals and carbon-fibre composites have also been obtained. This combination of capacitive transducers with pulse-compression techniques is shown to be a powerful tool for non-contact air-coupled ultrasonic measurements.     

Measurements of velocity and attenuation of leaky waves using an ultrasonic array

A new method of measuring velocity and attenuation of leaky surface waves is presented. A single focused transmitting transducer and linear receiving array in a pitch-catch arrangement are used in the proposed system. The spatial distribution of the acoustic field in the leaky wave is recorded by the array, and the parameters of the leaky wave can be obtained by processing the output waveforms. In comparison with existing material characterization systems, the mechanical scanning of the transducers is not used any more, and the measurement time is only limited by the time of the wave propagation and speed of the electronic data acquisition system.     

Application of laser ultrasonic technique for non-contact detection of drilling-induced delamination in aeronautical composite components

The detection of drilling-induced delamination in composite components is a vital and challenging task in aviation industry. Numerous key components of aircrafts are made of composite materials, and drilling is often a final operation during assembly. Drilling-induced delamination is a very serious defect that significantly reduces the structural reliability, but it is rather difficult to be detected effectively due to its special location. A novel application of laser ultrasonic technique for the detection of drilling-induced delamination in composites is presented in this paper. A carbon fiber reinforced plastic laminate with drilling holes was made as specimen. A laser ultrasonic system was constructed and experiments were performed to detect the drilling-induced delamination, based on propagation characteristic of ultrasonic waves generated by pulse laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm and pulse duration of 10 ns. A laser interferometer based on two wave mixing is used to measure ultrasonic wave signals, and the morphology features of the delamination are imaged clearly by laser ultrasonic C-scan testing. The results proved that the laser ultrasonic technique is a feasible and effective method for the detection of drilling-induced delamination in composite components.     

Nondestructive evaluation of helicopter rotor blades using guided Lamb modes

This paper presents an application for turning and direct modes in a complex composite laminate structure. The propagation and interaction of turning modes and fundamental Lamb modes are investigated in the skin, spar and web sections of a helicopter rotor blade. Finite element models were used to understand the various mode conversions at geometric discontinuities such as web-spar joints. Experimental investigation was carried out with the help of air coupled ultrasonic transducers. The turning and direct modes were confirmed with the help of particle displacements and velocities. Experimental B-Scans were performed on damaged and undamaged samples for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the structure. A strong correlation between the numerical and experimental results was observed and reported.     

Fabrication and comparison of PMN-PT single crystal, PZT and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers for NDE applications

This paper describes fabrication and comparison of PMN-PT single crystal, PZT, and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers for NDE applications. As a front matching layer between test material (Austenite stainless steel, SUS316) and piezoelectric materials, alumina ceramics was selected. The appropriate acoustic impedance of the backing materials for each transducer was determined based on the results of KLM model simulation. Prototype ultrasonic transducers with the center frequencies of approximately 2.25 and 5 MHz for contact measurement were fabricated and compared to each other. The PMN-PT single crystal ultrasonic transducer shows considerably improved performance in sensitivity over the PZT and PZT-based 1-3 composite ultrasonic transducers.     

Baseline subtraction technique in the frequency–wavenumber domain for high sensitivity damage detection

This paper suggests a method for high-sensitivity damage detection. The method is based on pitch-catch measurements of Lamb waves combined with a baseline subtraction technique in the frequency–wavenumber domain. Small amplitude converted modes, generated during the interaction of propagating waves with damage, can thus be detected with minimal a priori information regarding their expected location in the frequency–wavenumber plane. This method is applied in the present paper to a case of notches with varied depth. Finite element simulations are carried out in the temporal domain to mimic results obtainable in real-world experiments. Two cases are studied, namely when each of the two pure fundamental modes are incident on a notch. The advantages of the method are detailed. The procedure to implement this method is described in the context of Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) or Non-Destructive Testing (NDT).     

The characterization of capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers in air

Surface micromachined, capacitive ultrasonic transducers have been fabricated using a low thermal budget, CMOS-compatible process. They exhibit interesting properties for transduction in air at frequencies in excess of 1 MHz, when driven from a standard ultrasonic voltage source. Experiments are described using 1 mm square devices in air, operating in both pitch-catch and pulse-echo modes. The dependence on d.c. bias voltage is examined, together with calibration measurements using 1/8 in. microphones. The radiated beam profile, and the farfield directivity pattern, have been measured for both broad bandwidth and one-burst excitation, using a scanned miniature receiver. A 16 element square array is also presented, which has been used to measure the beam cross-sections from a focussed source.     

New Techniques and Designs of Focusing Piezoelectric Transducers for Ultrasonic Diagnostics and Therapy

New techniques of forming high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) fields using dynamic focusing and harmonic multifrequency excitation are developed for ultrasonic diagnostics and therapy. New designs of HIFU transducers based on high-performance composite materials are developed and studied. Finite-element and finite-difference simulations of HIFU transducers and processes of ultrasonic wave propagation in biological tissues are performed. The parameters of piezoceramic materials, piezoelements, and the acoustic fields of focusing ultrasonic transducers are measured. Experiments are performed on biological tissues ex vivo that confirm the efficiency, selectivity, and safety of the developed HIFU transducers and techniques of forming acoustic fields.     

Analysis of an ultrasonic receiving array with strip-type piezotransducers.

A receiving array has been developed and investigated which consists of an ultrasonic scanner with composite strip-type piezoceramic elements, which serve simultaneously both as electroacoustic transducers and also as delay lines in a system for processing received signals operating in the megacycle frequency range. The frequency and pulse responses are considered. Properties of the directional pulse patterns are examined in the case of additive and multiplicative processing of the signals. This receiving array may be used for ultrasonic medical diagnostic devices and for non-destructive testing.     

超声在固体火箭发动机无损检测中的应用

在固体火箭发动机的研制中，无损检测技术非常重要。本文介绍了一些主要的超声检测方法及其应用。脉冲多次反射法用于检测固体火箭发动机壳体与衬层之间的粘结质量。特性参数和扫频超声法以多层介质理论为基础，用于检测固体火箭发动机的深层粘结质量。     

Simulation of ultrasonic lamb wave generation, propagation and detection for a reconfigurable air coupled scanner

A computer simulator, to facilitate the design and assessment of a reconfigurable, air-coupled ultrasonic scanner is described and evaluated. The specific scanning system comprises a team of remote sensing agents, in the form of miniature robotic platforms that can reposition non-contact Lamb wave transducers over a plate type of structure, for the purpose of non-destructive evaluation (NDE). The overall objective is to implement reconfigurable array scanning, where transmission and reception are facilitated by different sensing agents which can be organised in a variety of pulse-echo and pitch-catch configurations, with guided waves used to generate data in the form of 2-D and 3-D images. The ability to reconfigure the scanner adaptively requires an understanding of the ultrasonic wave generation, its propagation and interaction with potential defects and boundaries. Transducer behaviour has been simulated using a linear systems approximation, with wave propagation in the structure modelled using the local interaction simulation approach (LISA). Integration of the linear systems and LISA approaches are validated for use in Lamb wave scanning by comparison with both analytic techniques and more computationally intensive commercial finite element/difference codes. Starting with fundamental dispersion data, the paper goes on to describe the simulation of wave propagation and the subsequent interaction with artificial defects and plate boundaries, before presenting a theoretical image obtained from a team of sensing agents based on the current generation of sensors and instrumentation.     

Schlieren ultrasonic visualization of delaminations in composite materials

The application of Schlieren ultrasonic techniques to the visualization of delaminations in composite materials is described and discussed. It is shown that this technique can provide an efficient, practical, non-destructive testing method.     

Leaky Rayleigh wave investigation on mortar samples

Aggressive mineralized ground water may harm the concrete cover of tunnels and other underground constructions. Within a current research project mortar samples are used to study the effects of sulfate interaction in accelerated laboratory experiments. A nondestructive test method based on ultrasonic surface waves was developed to investigate the topmost layer of mortar samples. A pitch and catch arrangement is introduced for the generation and reception of leaky Rayleigh waves in an immersion technique allowing the measurement of their propagation velocity. The technique has been successfully verified for the reference materials aluminium, copper, and stainless steel. First measurements performed on mortar specimens demonstrate the applicability of this new diagnostic tool.