Open Access

Es wird eine Studie zur Charakterisierung eines anisotropen Stahls vorgestellt, bei der Ultraschalluntersuchungen mit Mikrostrukturanalysen verbunden werden. Das Material weist hohe Festigkeit und Korrosionsbeständigkeit auf, zugleich ist mit anisotropen Eigenschaften die mechanischen und betrieblichen Eigenschaften beeinflussen zu rechnen. Vorläufige Ergebnisse lassen vermuten, dass weitere Untersuchungen notwendig sind, um die Fähigkeiten und Grenzen des Materials genau zu bestimmen. Es wird ein systematischer Ansatz mit Array- Prüfköpfen, Time-of-Flight Diffraction (TOFD) Technik und mikrostrukturellen Untersuchungen angewendet, um die Wechselwirkung zwischen Anisotropie und Mikrostruktur des Stahls zu analysieren. Ultraschallprüfungen mit der TOFD-Technik und in Tauchtechnik liefern Einblicke in das anisotrope Verhalten des Werkstoffes, einschließlich entsprechenden Kornorientierung, Dämpfung und Schallgeschwindigkeitsvariation. Diese Messungen führen in Verbindung mit mikrostrukturellen Analysen zu einem tieferen Verständnis des Materialverhaltens. Unser Hauptziel ist es, ein Framework zu erstellen, welches die Ultraschallantwort anisotroper Materialien mit ihren mikroskopischen Struktureigenschaften verbindet. Die vorgestellte Methodik ermöglicht eine zerstörungsfreie und zügige Bewertung der Materialintegrität, was besonders bei der Anwendung von Hochleistungsmaterialien relevant ist. Durch diesen integrativen Ansatz werden verschiedener Charakterisierungsmethoden kombiniert, um ein umfassenderes Materialverständnis zu erreichen.

Many modern ultrasonic methods in the fields of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) require simulations in research. Researchers either use simulation data initially during development to investigate certain aspects, or the simulation process is directly part of the research task. Examples of the second case are inverse methods for parameter estimation, model-assisted probability of detection analysis or the generation of training data for AI algorithms. All these applications require algorithms that are as efficient as possible. For methods based on explicit time-step methods, a significant increase in efficiency can be achieved if a so-called lumped mass matrix can be used, which approximates the consistent mass matrix but is easier to invert. The finite element method has been the subject of many studies on approximations of the mass matrix. In contrast, the lumped mass matrix in the context of the Scaled Boundary Finite Element Method (SBFEM) is a current field of research [1,2]. In the time domain, the semi-analytical SBFEM is notable for its flexibility to be applied to polygonal meshes. In particular, image-based mesh generation using a quadtree algorithm is possible. In general, polygonal meshes have the same flexibility as triangular meshes, but polygonal meshes can have additional advantages such as greater tolerance to distortion. In this contribution, the SBFEM formulation based on bubble functions [3] for the time domain is presented for two-dimensional elastic waves. The adjustments necessary for a good approximating lumped mass matrix are emphasized. Several grid generation methods for polygonal elements are shown. Figure 1 depicts the difference between the consistent mass matrix and the lumped mass matrix for a normal polygonal mesh. Finally, the accuracy of mass lumping for linear, quadratic and cubic shape functions is presented and the computational efficiency is demonstrated using exemplary waveguide geometries.

Structural health monitoring (SHM) using ultrasonic-guided waves (UGWs) enables continuous monitoring of components with complex geometries and provides extensive information about their structural integrity and their overall condition. Composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) used for storing hydrogen gases at very high pressures are an example of a critical infrastructure that could benefit significantly from SHM. This can be used to increase the periodic inspection intervals, ensure safe operating conditions by early detection of anomalies, and ultimately estimate the remaining lifetime of COPVs. Therefore, in the digital quality infrastructure initiative (QI-Digital) in Germany, an SHM system is being developed for COPVs used in a hydrogen refueling station. In this study, the results of a lifetime fatigue test on a Type IV COPV subjected to many thousands of load cycles under different temperatures and pressures are presented to demonstrate the strengths and challenges associated with such an SHM system. During the cyclic testing up to the final material failure of the COPV, a sensor network of fifteen surface-mounted piezoelectric (PZT) wafers was used to collect the UGW data. However, the pressure variations, the aging process of the COPV, the environmental parameters, and possible damages simultaneously have an impact on the recorded signals. This issue and the lack of labeled data make signal processing and analysis even more demanding. Thus, in this study, semi-supervised, and unsupervised deep learning approaches are utilized to separate the influence of different variables on the UGW data with the final aim of detecting and localizing the damage before critical failure.

The main advantage of air-coupled ultrasonic testing is the absence of a liquid couplant, which can damage some materials. However, most air-coupled testing scenarios have the challenge of low signals and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) several orders of magnitude lower than with couplant-assisted techniques. Since this challenge of small SNR also exists in radar technology, the pulse compression used there was adapted and applied to the physical conditions of air-coupled ultrasonic testing. This paper presents ultrasonic transmission measurements on a carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer plate using two experimental setups: 1) a thermoacoustic transmitter and an optical microphone and 2) a pair of ferroelectret transducers as transmitter and receiver. Thermoacoustic transmitters convert electrical energy to heat, which causes the air to expand thus producing acoustic waves. The optical microphone is based on a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Ferroelectrets are charged cellular polymers, having piezoelectric properties and excellent acoustic matching to air. Both thermoacoustic transmitters and ferroelectrets are non-linear regarding the relationship between the excited sound pressure and the excitation voltage. Due to these physical boundary conditions, unipolar coding was used to modulate the excitation signals. Various codes were tested, and parameters of the excitation pulses were varied to find the optimal combination for each experimental setup. The application of pulse compression to the combination of thermoacoustic transmitter and optical microphone increased the signal-to-noise ratio by up to 16 dB and for the ferroelectret transducers by up to 23 dB.

The digital Quality Infrastructure (QI) initiative “QI-Digital” in Germany is focusing on implementing new technologies and approaches to ensure that the task of quality assurance is more efficient and ready for the digital and green transformation of the economy. The implementation of quality control key elements, such as Smart Standards, Digital Certificates and QI-cloud solutions shall contribute to solving the socio-economic, ecological, and technological challenges of our time. Hydrogen is a key energy carrier and has the potential to play a significant role in the energy transition, especially in mobility. An essential factor for the broad acceptance of hydrogen-based mobility is the availability of refueling stations that operate reliably and safely. Using the example of a Hydrogen Refueling Station (HRS) built within the QI-Digital initiative, the Federal Institute for Material Research and Testing (BAM) aims to establish a real laboratory where modern measurement techniques and new digital methods are implemented to enhance operational safety, availability, and economic efficiency and render the technology more attractive for the industry. In this work, we present an approach to establish a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system on a high-pressure buffer inside HRS and show how it could be embedded into a digital QI. The high-pressure buffers are essential components of the plant which are currently inspected periodically without regard to their operating history. Focusing on the transition to a continuous and digitally supported monitoring of the component’s integrity during operation the novel inspection scheme will be linked to a completely digitalized component-related documentation and tested using digital certificates. This allows the operational safety and, if necessary, the remaining useful lifetime to be assessed on an ongoing basis and to be a valuable contribution to increasing sustainability.