TY - JOUR A1 - Bulling, Jannis A1 - Jurgelucks, B. A1 - Prager, Jens A1 - Walther, A. T1 - Defect reconstruction in a two-dimensional semi-analytical waveguide model via derivative-based optimization JF - The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America N2 - This paper considers an indirect measurement approach to reconstruct a defect in a two-dimensional waveguide model for a non-destructive ultrasonic inspection via derivative-based optimization. The propagation of the mechanical waves is simulated by the scaled boundary finite element method that builds on a semi-analytical approach. The simulated data are then fitted to given data associated with the reflected waves from a defect which is to be reconstructed. For this purpose, we apply an iteratively regularized Gauss-Newton method in combination with algorithmic differentiation to provide the required derivative information accurately and efficiently. We present numerical results for three kinds of defects, namely, a crack, delamination, and corrosion. The objective function and the properties of the reconstruction method are investigated. The examples show that the parameterization of the defect can be reconstructed efficiently as well as robustly in the presence of noise. KW - Mechanical waves KW - Corrosion KW - Finite-element analysis KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Nondestructive testing techniques KW - Symbolic computation KW - Materials analysis KW - MATLAB KW - Newton Raphson method PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-565485 DO - https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0013574 VL - 152 IS - 2 SP - 1217 EP - 1229 PB - AIP Publ. CY - Melville, NY AN - OPUS4-56548 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Essig, W. A1 - Bernhardt, Y. A1 - Döring, D. A1 - Solodov, I. A1 - Gautzsch, T. A1 - Gaal, Mate A1 - Hufschläger, Daniel A1 - Sommerhuber, R. A1 - Marhenke, T. A1 - Hasener, J. A1 - Szewieczek, A. A1 - Hillger, W. T1 - Air-coupled ultrasound - emerging NDT method JF - ZfP-Zeitung N2 - This paper deals with the state of the art of air-coupled ultrasonic testing. KW - Air-coupled KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Transducers PY - 2021 SN - 1616-069X VL - 173 SP - 32 EP - 43 PB - Deutsche Gesellschaft für Zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (DGZfP) CY - Berlin AN - OPUS4-52231 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Konshina, V. A1 - Dymkin, G. A1 - Shevelev, A. A1 - Jaenisch, Gerd-Rüdiger T1 - Evaluation of the reliability of NDTesting in Russian railway transport JF - Materials testing N2 - Es werden Algorithmen zur Untersuchung von Ultraschallverfahren basierend auf integralen Größen wie Zuverlässigkeit und Genauigkeit vorgestellt, die die Art der verwendeten Techniken, ihre Anwendung in der Praxis und den Zweck der Untersuchung berücksichtigen (Vergleich von Techniken, Einführung neuer Methoden und Prüfanweisungen, usw.). Die Revision der Standards ISO 5725-1, ISO 5725-2 gibt die Bestimmung von Reproduzierbarkeit und Wiederholbarkeit gemessener Charakteristiken, das Design von Reflektoren und realer Fehler vor und bestimmt somit die Zuverlässigkeit zerstörungsfreier Verfahren, einschließlich der Ultraschallprüfung im Eisenbahnwesen. N2 - Algorithms to estimate ultrasonic testing method based on the integrated use of indicators of reliability and accuracy are presented, and built according to the nature of techniques, features of their application and evaluation purposes (comparison of techniques, introduction of new methods, test procedures, etc.). On the basis of the main revision of ISO 5725-1, 5725-2 the estimation of reproducibility and repeatability of measured characteristics determine the design of reflectors and real defects, and thus the reliability of non-destructive testing, including ultrasonic inspection of railways. KW - Reliability KW - Reproducibility KW - Repeatability KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Railways PY - 2014 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 56 IS - 9 SP - 758 EP - 762 PB - Hanser CY - München AN - OPUS4-31369 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Pitkänen, J. A1 - Bertovic, Marija A1 - Brackrock, Daniel A1 - Brekow, Gerhard A1 - Ewert, Uwe A1 - Kanzler, Daniel A1 - Müller, Christina T1 - Reliable evaluation of acceptability of weld for final disposal based on the canister copper weld inspection using different NDT methods JF - Materials testing N2 - The inspection of the sealing weld is an important phase for the evaluation of the acceptability of final disposal canister, but the weld is only a part of the 3D shielding of copper shell. The main tasks for reliable NDT evaluation requires an extensive evaluation of the parameters – which contains typical inspection related items like repeatability, S/N ratio, POD, setting up the equipment for inspection, and all practices for inspections. The other parameters are material parameters, their variation must be taken into account in the evaluation of NDT reliability. Further parameters include human factors, i. e. human inspectors and their interaction with technical systems; their effects were studied on an example of the evaluation of eddy current data. Final parameters are related to evaluation of detected defects, which means sizing and base for acceptance and this can be done in different ways. Some examples are given and results are compared with different methods for instance between radiographic testing and ultrasonic testing by raw data analysis and PA-SAFT results. Also, preliminary curves for the evaluation of metallographic results of 55 defects will be shown by EB weld measurements. Some practical items concerning copper inspections will be also discussed related to acceptability. N2 - Die Prüfung der Verschlussschweißnaht ist eine wichtige Phase in der Akzeptanzbewertung der Endlagerungskanister, obwohl die Verschlussschweißnaht nur ein Teil der dreidimensionalen Bedeckung der Kupfereinhüllung ist. Die Hauptaufgabe für die sichere zerstörungsfreie Prüfung (ZfP) erfordert eine umfangreiche Bewertung der Prüfparameter, die die typischen Prüfeinzelheiten, wie z. B. Wiederholbarkeit, Signal-Rausch-Verhältnis, POD, Einstellung der Geräte und alle Prüfvorgehen enthalten. Weitere Parameter sind die Schwankungen von Materialeigenschaften, die berücksichtigt werden müssen. Andere Parameter sind menschliche Faktoren, wie z. B. die Prüfer, und deren Interaktion mit den technischen Systemen, beispielsweise bei der Bewertung der Wirbelstromdaten. Weitere Einflussgrößen auf die Prüfung entstehen bei der Bewertung gefundener Fehler, bei der Größenbestimmung von Fehlern und basierend auf der strukturellen Integrität bei der Akzeptanz von definierten Fehlergrößen/Fehlerarten an verschiedenen Positionen in der Schweißnaht. Der Artikel zeigt einige Beispiele und den Vergleich zwischen verschiedenen ZfP-Methoden, z. B. der radiographische Prüfung, der Ultraschallprüfung mit Bewertung von Rohdaten und der Ultraschallprüfung mit Bewertung mittels PA-SAFT. Auch die vorläufigen Kurven für die metallographische Bewertung von 55 Fehlern der Elektronenstrahlschweißung sind gezeigt. Darüber hinaus wird auch eine praktische Vorgehensweise bei der Definition der Akzeptanzkriterien für die Kupferschweißnahtsprüfung diskutiert. KW - NDT reliability KW - Radiography KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Eddy current testing KW - Visual testing PY - 2014 UR - http://www.hanser-elibrary.com/doi/pdf/10.3139/120.110609 DO - https://doi.org/10.3139/120.110609 SN - 0025-5300 VL - 56 IS - 9 SP - 748 EP - 757 PB - Hanser CY - München AN - OPUS4-31524 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Prabhakara, Prathik A1 - Lay, Vera A1 - Mielentz, Frank A1 - Niederleithinger, Ernst A1 - Behrens, Matthias T1 - Enhancing the Performance of a Large Aperture Ultrasound System (LAUS): A Combined Approach of Simulation and Measurement for Transmitter–Receiver Optimization JF - Enhancing the Performance of a Large Aperture Ultrasound System (LAUS): A Combined Approach of Simulation and Measurement for Transmitter–Receiver Optimization N2 - The Large Aperture Ultrasound System (LAUS) developed at BAM is known for its ability to penetrate thick objects, especially concrete structures commonly used in nuclear waste storage and other applications in civil engineering. Although the current system effectively penetrates up to ~9 m, further optimization is imperative to enhance the safety and integrity of disposal structures for radioactive or toxic waste. This study focuses on enhancing the system’s efficiency by optimizing the transducer spacing, ensuring that resolution is not compromised. An array of twelve horizontal shear wave transducers was used to find a balance between penetration depth and resolution. Systematic adjustments of the spacing between transmitter and receiver units were undertaken based on target depth ranges of known reflectors at depth ranges from 5 m to 10 m. The trade-offs between resolution and artifact generation were meticulously assessed. This comprehensive study employs a dual approach using both simulations and measurements to investigate the performance of transducer units spaced at 10 cm, 20 cm, 30 cm, and 40 cm. We found that for depths up to 5 m, a spacing of 10 cm for LAUS transducer units provided the best resolution as confirmed by both simulations and measurements. This optimal distance is particularly effective in achieving clear reflections and a satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in imaging scenarios with materials such as thick concrete structures. However, when targeting depths greater than 10 m, we recommend increasing the distance between the transducers to 20 cm. This increased spacing improves the SNR in comparison to other spacings, as seen in the simulation of a 10 m deep backwall. Our results emphasize the critical role of transducer spacing in achieving the desired SNR and resolution, especially in the context of depth imaging requirements for LAUS applications. In addition to the transducer spacing, different distances between individual sets of measurement positions were tested. Overall, keeping the minimal possible distance between measurement position offsets provides the best imaging results at greater depths. The proposed optimizations for the LAUS in this study are primarily relevant to applications on massive nuclear structures for nuclear waste management. This research highlights the need for better LAUS efficiency in applications such as sealing structures, laying the foundation for future technological advances in this field. KW - Engineered barrier system KW - Phased array technique KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Non-destructive testing in civil engineering KW - Seismic migration PY - 2024 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-592426 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/s24010100 VL - 24 IS - 1 SP - 1 EP - 23 PB - MDPI CY - Basel, Switzerland AN - OPUS4-59242 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shapovalov, O. A1 - Heckel, Thomas A1 - Gaal, Mate A1 - Weiß, S. T1 - External Acoustical Damping on a Metallic Angle Wedge in a High Temperature Resistant Ultrasonic Probe JF - Acoustics Australia N2 - Ultrasonic probes for high-temperature applications are provided with metallic wedges, which can withstand the contact with the high temperature of the inspected structure. The ultrasonic signal travels within the wedge and gets reflected from its boundaries, causing interference signals called “ghost echoes”. The current work presents an investigation of the additional damping effect provided by porous sintered metal plates applied onto the surface of the wedge. In particular, the study evaluates the effect of damping plate thickness on the interference signal level at different transmission frequencies. Damping plates made of sintered metal SIKA-R 15 AX were attached to a wedge prototype made of steel 1.4301. The study revealed, that the most effective thickness of damping plates in the selected frequency interval of 1 to 4 MHz is equal to 4 mm. The evaluation of the interference signal has shown that the application of such damping plates to the wedge surface contributes to an additional attenuation of an interference signal of 10 to 30 dB after 500 μs of signal propagation. KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - High temperature KW - Acoustical damping KW - Angle wedge KW - Ultrasonic probe PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-553920 DO - https://doi.org/10.1007/s40857-022-00270-9 SN - 0814-6039 SP - 1 EP - 11 PB - Springer AN - OPUS4-55392 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shokouhi, Parisa A1 - Wolf, Julia A1 - Wiggenhauser, Herbert T1 - Detection of delamination in concrete bridge decks by joint amplitude and phase analysis of ultrasonic array measurements JF - Journal of bridge engineering N2 - The accuracy and precision of low-frequency (center frequency of approximately 55 kHz) ultrasonic testing for detection and characterization of delamination in concrete bridge decks were evaluated. A multiprobe ultrasonic testing system (with horizontally polarized shear-wave transducers) was used to detect built-in delamination defects of various size, depth, and severity (i.e., thickness) in a test specimen—a 6.1 m × 2.4 m × 216 mm (20 ft × 8 ft × 8.5 in.) reinforced concrete slab-built to simulate a concrete bridge deck. The collected data sets were reconstructed applying synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT). The reconstructed measurement results were then used to assess the condition of the concrete slab at individual points [point-by-point data collection and two-dimensional (2D) reconstruction] as well as along lines, where data were collected at smaller steps and reconstructed in a three-dimensional (3D) format. The local-phase information was also calculated, superimposed on the reconstructed images and used as complementary information in condition assessment. The precision and accuracy of condition assessments were evaluated. The results indicated that, using the multiprobe ultrasonic array, delamination defects as small as 30 cm² (1 ft²) could be reliably detected. Deep delaminations [i.e., those deeper than 150 mm (6 in.)] were directly detected and characterized, whereas shallow delaminations [shallower than 65 mm (2.5 in.)] were detected only indirectly. The precision of the measurements was demonstrated by comparing repeated measurements at several test points. Similar measurement results obtained on a delaminated portion of a real bridge deck support the conclusions of the validation study. KW - Concrete bridge deck KW - Bridge deck evaluation KW - Delamination KW - Nondestructive testing (NDT) KW - Ultrasonic testing PY - 2014 DO - https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000513 SN - 1084-0702 VL - 19 IS - 3 SP - 04013005-1 - 04013005-11 PB - Soc. CY - Reston, Va. AN - OPUS4-31261 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shokouhi, Parisa A1 - Wöstmann, Jens A1 - Schneider, Gerhard A1 - Milmann, Boris A1 - Taffe, Alexander A1 - Wiggenhauser, Herbert T1 - Nondestructive detection of delamination in concrete slabs - multiple-method investigation JF - Transportation research record N2 - The delamination of concrete slabs is the separation along a plane roughly parallel to, and generally near, the surface. Corrosion-induced delamination is a common problem in old concrete bridge decks. If undetected, delaminations could expand, reach the surface, and result in spalling. Early detection of delamination is necessary for planning timely repairs that prevent costly deck replacement projects. Most bridge owners rely on routine visual and traditional surveys of bridge deck conditions. These surveys are highly subjective and can locate only large shallow delaminated zones. Several nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques have recently been employed for bridge deck evaluation to obtain more objective and comprehensive assessment. The reliability of applicable methods needs to be established before a greater role for NDT in routine inspections can be encouraged. This paper presents a validation study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of three NDT techniques, namely impact echo, ultrasound (US) echo, and US linear array, in detection of delamination. This study is unique because the subject test specimens were deteriorated bridge deck segments preserved from the demolition of a prestressed box girder bridge. The results of the tests conducted on one of the specimens are presented and discussed here: impact echo provided satisfactory overall assessment, but the individual results were often difficult to interpret; US echo detected deep delaminations but not shallow ones; and US linear array located the extent of deep delaminations and provided indications of shallow ones. KW - Delamination KW - Concrete KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Impact echo KW - Scanning PY - 2011 DO - https://doi.org/10.3141/2251-11 SN - 0361-1981 VL - 2251 SP - 103 EP - 113 PB - National Research Council CY - Washington, DC AN - OPUS4-25552 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Thiele, Marc A1 - Pirskawetz, Stephan T1 - Analysis of damage evolution in concrete under fatigue loading by acoustic emission and ultrasonic testing JF - Materials N2 - The fatigue process of concrete under compressive cyclic loading is still not completely explored. The corresponding damage processes within the material structure are especially not entirely investigated. The application of acoustic measurement methods enables a better insight into the processes of the fatigue in concrete. Normal strength concrete was investigated under compressive cyclic loading with regard to the fatigue process by using acoustic methods in combination with other nondestructive measurement methods. Acoustic emission and ultrasonic signal measurements were applied together with measurements of strains, elastic modulus, and static strength. It was possible to determine the anisotropic character of the fatigue damage caused by uniaxial loading based on the ultrasonic measurements. Furthermore, it was observed that the fatigue damage seems to consist not exclusively of load parallel oriented crack structures. Rather, crack structures perpendicular to the load as well as local compacting are likely components of the fatigue damage. Additionally, the ultrasonic velocity appears to be a good indicator for fatigue damage beside the elastic modulus. It can be concluded that acoustic methods allow an observation of the fatigue process in concrete and a better understanding, especially in combination with further measurement methods. KW - Concrete KW - Fatigue KW - Damage evolution KW - Ultrasonic testing KW - Acoustic emission PY - 2022 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-541891 DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15010341 SN - 1996-1944 VL - 15 IS - 1 SP - 341 EP - 355 PB - MDPI CY - Basel AN - OPUS4-54189 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -