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A novel approach for rating fatigue-initiating inclusions in highly demanding steel (INCAFAT)
(2018)
INCAFAT project aimed to improve existing fatigue damage models by establishing the most suitable combination of measurement techniques to characterise harmful inclusion populations in highly demanding steels. The different inclusion assessments carried out confirm that, chemical composition, secondary metallurgy and manufacturing route affect content, nature, size and shape of inclusions. According to the FEM model, inclusions produce an alteration of the stress field in their surrounding region, which can promote a fatigue failure. Experimental work on fatigue testing has demonstrated that depending on the stressed direction fatigue failures in highly demanding steels could be produced by different types of inclusions. Fractography analyses confirmed that meso-inclusions harmful in fatigue cannot be rated by standard methods, nor 10 MHz ultrasonic testing (macro) or micro-cleanness assessments. The necessity of rating these meso-inclusions has led to critical evaluation of Extreme Value Analysis according to ASTM E2283-08 and the development of high frequency immersion ultrasonic testing. EVA methodology based on inclusion width can be applied reliably when principal stress is parallel to the rolling direction. On the contrary, if inclusions are testing in the elongated directions its fails. On the other hand, the guidelines and recommendations for high frequency ultrasonic testing have been compiled in a new European standard draft. This method based on focal beam probes and high-resolution devices is able to provide information on meso-inclusion distribution.
The spatial resolution in ultrasonic testing as a wave phenomenon in nature is limited to a
certain fraction of the wavelength, usually defined to be close to the Rayleigh criterion. In case of
complicated reflector surfaces – such as stress corrosion cracking - this limitation prevents an exact
visualization of the defect shape. There exist a few approaches to improve the spatial resolution, whose
reconstruction quality all in common also depend on the achieved signal-to-noise ratio of the raw data. In this
work we present a specific SAFT analysis, in which a high number of different angles of incidence produce a
sufficiently high number of different reflections at the crack edges resulting in an improved SNR. In doing
so, we reconstruct a coherent crack structure. First investigations were made at artificially simulated crack
configurations with different contours and curvatures in flat and cylindrical test blocks. The measurements
results visualized by representative scans – show details of crack design and crack orientation. We also will
present a comparison of the SAFT analysis between modelling and phased array measurements.
Austenitic stainless steel welds as well as dissimilar metal welds with nickel alloy filler material, used in safety relevant parts of nuclear power plants, still challenge the ultrasonic inspection. The weld material forms large oriented grains which lead on the one hand to high sound scattering and on the other hand – to inhomogeneity and to the acoustic anisotropy of the weld structure. The ultrasonic wave fronts propagate not linearly, as in ferritic weld joints, but along the curves, which depend on the specific grain structure of the weld. Due the influence of these phenomena, it is difficult to analyze the inspection results and to classify the ultrasonic indications, which could be both from the weld geometry and from the material defects. A correct flaw sizing is not possible.
In an ongoing research project, different techniques to improve the reliability of ultrasonic testing at these kinds of welds are investigated. In a first step (in the previous research project) two ultrasonic inspection techniques were developed and validated on plane test specimens with artificial and realistic flaws. In the ongoing project, these techniques are applied to circumferential pipe welds with longitudinal and transverse flaws.
The technique developed at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) in Germany uses a combination of ray tracing and synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT). To investigate the unknown grain structure, the velocity distribution of weld-transmitting ultrasound waves is measured and used to model the weld by ray tracing.
The second technique, developed at the Fraunhofer Institute for Nondestructive Testing (IZFP) in Germany, uses Sampling Phased Array (Full Matrix Capture) combined with the reverse phase matching (RPM) and the gradient elastic constant descent algorithm (GECDM). This inspection method is able to estimate the elastic constants of the columnar grains in the weld and offers an improvement of the reliability of ultrasonic testing through the correction of the sound field distortion. The unknown inhomogeneity and anisotropy are investigated using a reference indication and the special optimization algorithm.
Both reconstruction techniques give quantitative inspection results and allow the defect sizing. They have been compared to conventional ultrasonic testing with techniques, which are state of the art for components in nuclear power plants. The improvement will be quantified by the comparison of the probability of detection (POD) of each technique.
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.
Several countries, which use or used nuclear power, started to destruct nuclear power plants. Thus, large amounts of radioactive waste have to be stored safely during the next decades. Large underground caverns will
be used a nuclear waste disposal. Once the cavern is full, a sealing construction is required. The sealing should avoid the contact to any fluids or substances of the storage barrels and reduce hazardous radiation.
Severe mechanical fatigue conditions for worldwide proliferating windfarms are a Major challenge for high-performance concrete in towers, connecting joints and foundations of wind turbines. High-performance concrete offers potential for the application in offshore windfarms, not only regarding its good mechanical, but also chemical resistivity due to low diffusivity in the highly densified microstructure. For a more reliable fatigue assessment, monitoring based on nondestructive testing can be a valuable complement to design rules. Both approaches demand reliable experimental data, information about scalability and the development of standardized testing methods. This article presents results of an ongoing research program of BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung), which is a part of a joint national project (WinConFat) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The subproject implemented by BAM examines the fatigue behavior in dependence of size and slenderness for varying concrete strength at different stress levels. Besides fatigue strength, nondestructive testing is carried out additionally.
Methods used are strain measurement and ultrasonic testing. The change of strain, stiffness and ultrasonic pulse velocity in the fatigue process is discussed. Results disclose a deeper insight into the damage process under cyclic loading of high-performance concrete and contribute to improve nondestructive monitoring.
Severe mechanical fatigue conditions for worldwide proliferating windfarms are a Major challenge for high-performance concrete in towers, connecting joints and foundations of wind turbines. High-performance concrete offers potential for the application in offshore windfarms, not only regarding its good mechanical, but also chemical resistivity due to low diffusivity in the highly densified microstructure. For a more reliable fatigue assessment, monitoring based on nondestructive testing can be a valuable complement to design rules. Both approaches demand reliable experimental data, information about scalability and the development of standardized testing methods. This article presents results of an ongoing research program of BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung), which is a part of a joint national project (WinConFat) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The subproject implemented by BAM examines the fatigue behavior in dependence of size and slenderness for varying concrete strength at different stress levels. Besides fatigue strength, nondestructive testing is carried out additionally.
Methods used are strain measurement and ultrasonic testing. The change of strain, stiffness and ultrasonic pulse velocity in the fatigue process is discussed. Results disclose a deeper insight into the damage process under cyclic loading of high-performance concrete and contribute to improve nondestructive monitoring.
Damage and strength reduction of a high performance concrete due to thermomechanical stresses
(2008)
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.
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.
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.
Integration of fibre reinforcement in high-performance cementitious materials has become widely applied in many fields of construction. One of the most investigated advantages of steel fibre reinforced concrete (FRC) is the deceleration of crack growth and hence it’s improved sustainability due to e.g. decrease of permeability of concrete by aggressive substances. Additional benefits are associated with the structural properties of FRC, where fibres can significantly increase the ductility and the tensile strength of concrete. In some applications, such as tunnel linings or industrial slabs, it is even possible to entirely replace the conventional reinforcement, leading to significant logistical and environmental benefits. Fibre reinforcement can, however, have critical disadvantages and even hinder the performance of concrete, since it can induce an anisotropic material behaviour of the mixture if the fibres are not appropriately oriented. For a safe use of FRC in the future, reliable non-destructive methods need to be identified to assess the fibres’ orientation in hardened concrete. In this study, ultrasonic material testing, electrical impedance testing, and X-ray computer tomography have been investigated for this purpose using specially produced samples with biased or random fibre orientations. This paper demonstrates the capabilities of each of these NDT techniques for fibre orientation measurements and draws conclusions based on these results about the most promising areas for future research and development using these techniques.
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.
The worldwide spread of windfarms brings new challenges, especially for concrete structures as a part of towers, connecting joints and foundations of wind turbines. High-cyclic loadings in such structures lead to a high relevance of the subject of fatigue. A proper assessment of the fatigue strength of concrete demands therefore a basis of reliable experimental data and the development of standardized testing methods. This article presents first results of an ongoing research program of BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung) which is a part of a joint project (WinConFat) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The subproject investigates the effects of size and slenderness of the specimens on the fatigue behaviour of high strength concrete at different stress levels. Not only the fatigue strength, but also the fatigue process itself is monitored by means of several measurement methods. Strain measurements are used to calculate the load dependent elastic modulus in the fatigue hysteresis as indicators for fatigue development. Furthermore, the application of non-destructive methods like acoustic emission analysis and ultrasonic measurement in laboratory tests gives a deeper insight into damage processes under cyclic loading. The results shall be used to improve design rules for concrete members under fatigue load and to develop or improve non-destructive techniques for in-service structural health monitoring.
The worldwide spread of windfarms brings new challenges, especially for concrete structures as a part of towers, connecting joints and foundations of wind turbines. High-cyclic loadings in such structures lead to a high relevance of the subject of fatigue. A proper assessment of the fatigue strength of concrete demands therefore a basis of reliable experimental data and the development of standardized testing methods. This article presents first results of an ongoing research program of BAM (Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung) which is a part of a joint project (WinConFat) funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The subproject investigates the effects of size and slenderness of the specimens on the fatigue behaviour of high strength concrete at different stress levels. Not only the fatigue strength, but also the fatigue process itself is monitored by means of several measurement methods. Strain measurements are used to calculate the load dependent elastic modulus in the fatigue hysteresis as indicators for fatigue development. Furthermore, the application of non-destructive methods like acoustic emission analysis and ultrasonic measurement in laboratory tests gives a deeper insight into damage processes under cyclic loading. The results shall be used to improve design rules for concrete members under fatigue load and to develop or improve non-destructive techniques for in-service structural health monitoring.
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.
Ein Ziel der Arbeit bestand ursprünglich darin, ein Rechenmodell zur Ultraschallprüfung mit einer Evolutionsstrategie zu verknüpfen. Zunächst verlagerte sich der Schwerpunkt der Arbeit jedoch auf die Erarbeitung eines validierten und erprobten Modells, das den Anforderungen für die Verwendung der Evolutionsstrategie genügt. Aber selbst damit zeigte sich, dass ein Arbeiten mit der Evolutionsstrategie nicht ohne weiteres möglich ist. Daher wurde der Weg der iterativen Modellierung gewählt. Die Einschränkungen der verschiedenen Bewertungs- und Untersuchungsverfahren zur Fehlerdiagnose in der Ultraschallprüfung lassen in Abhängigkeit von der Prüfsituation nur eine fallweise Anwendung zu. Die erzielbaren Ergebnisse sind durch prinzipielle Grenzen, wie die orientierungsabhängigen Wechselwirkungen der Ultraschallwellen mit dem Fehler, in ihrer Genauigkeit stark begrenzt. Eine zuverlässige Bewertung ist meist durch die Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse mit denen aus anderen ZfP- Verfahren und die Nutzung von a priori Informationen z. B. aus der Fertigungsgeschichte einer Komponente oder des Fehlerentstehungsmechanismus möglich. Die vorgeschlagene iterative Modellierung bietet dazu, wie die vorliegende Untersuchung zeigt, eine Möglichkeit. Die durch Einführung von a priori Informationen aufgestellten Fehlerhypothesen werden durch Modellrechnungen abgesichert oder wieder verworfen. Das Rechenmodell ermöglicht die Bewertung der Amplitude, der Laufzeit, der Echodynamik und des Anzeigenmusters, also aller auch bei anderen Diagnoseverfahren herangezogenen Bewertungskriterien. Die iterative Modellierung basiert auf drei Teilprozessen, der Analyse der möglichen Wechselwirkungen, der Separation dieser Wechselwirkungen in diverse Schallwege und schließlich der Synthese der auf den verschiedenen Wegen berechneten Signale zum Gesamtsignal. Die ersten beiden Teilprozesse müssen z. Zt. für jeden Prüffall neu gelöst werden und erfordern wie die Modellbedienung Expertenwissen. Die im Rahmen dieser Untersuchung erfolgten Modellmodifikationen konnten gemeinsam mit der Modellverifikation die Zuverlässigkeit der Modellrechnungen deutlich steigern. Die Berechnungen können schnell und interaktiv durchgeführt werden. Die Rechenzeit für ein TD- Bild mit 50 A- Bildern beträgt üblicherweise ein bis fünf Minuten. Durch die Kombination des Rechenmodells mit der Evolutionsstrategie wurde der Versuch unternommen, die iterative Modellierung zu systematisieren. Diese Kombination würde die Lösung des inversen Problems, d.h. die Bestimmung der Ursache für die akustische Störung, ohne Durchführung einer mathematischen Inversion ermöglichen. Der Anwendung der Evolutionsstrategie mit der hier gewählten einfachen Qualitätsfunktion steht ein hoher Zeitbedarf entgegen, ein schnelles und interaktives Arbeiten ist nicht möglich. Die Praxis erfordert die Definition einer komplexen Qualitätsfunktion, die eine Bewertung des Anzeigenmusters ermöglicht und unempfindlich auf Störeffekte reagiert. Die besondere Schwierigkeit besteht darin die Erfahrungen und die "Phantasie" eines Experten in das Modell zu integrieren. Dieser Umstand beinhaltet noch ein großes Entwicklungspotenzial. Ein gegenwärtiger Einsatz der Evolutionsstrategie erscheint daher verfrüht. Inwieweit Probleme mit in den Messdaten enthaltenen Mehrdeutigkeiten und Störanzeigen von Testblockkanten und anderen Reflektoren zukünftig überwunden werden können, kann gegenwärtig noch nicht abschließend geklärt werden. Eine zuverlässige Bewertung von kritischen Befunden mit mehreren möglichen Ursachen kann derzeit nur mit Expertenwissen über den Weg der iterativen Modellierung erfolgen. Dies ermöglicht auf einfache Weise die Einführung der a priori Informationen und gestattet ein schnelles und interaktives Arbeiten.