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For structural health monitoring systems or non-destructive testing, it is crucial to study the interactions of ultrasonic-guided waves with inhomogeneities or damage in structural components. Simulation of these interactions poses a challenge.
After the wave-damage interaction, the numerical model must reproduce features like mode conversion or wave scattering. Mathematically, damages are discontinuities in a computational domain, and each wave interacts differently because of the geometrical features. We propose a quadtree-based meshing in the current contribution to capture these geometrical characteristics.
This kind of discretisation approach requires special techniques to couple cells of different sizes since, after a quadtree decomposition, the problem of so-called hanging nodes may arise. Transition elements based on high-order transfinite shape functions are used to solve this issue. The advantage is that these elements allow the correct coupling of the cells while retaining a high-order interpolation. Moreover, the reuse of the dynamic stiffness matrices can be exploited based on the similarity of the cells. This procedure makes the approach very efficient.
Examples show the scattering characteristics of different guided wave modes after interacting with inhomogeneities and discontinuities in a plate.
Temperature compensation strategies play a key role in the implementation of guided wave based structural health monitoring approaches. The varying temperature influences the performance of the inspection system inducing false alarms or missed detection, with a consequent reduction of reliability. This paper quantitatively assesses two temperature compensation methods, namely the optimal baseline selection (OBS) and the baseline signal stretch (BSS), with the aim to extend their use to the case of distributed sensor networks (DSN). The effect of temperature separation between baseline time-traces in OBS and BSS are investigated considering multiple couples of sensors employed in the DSN. A decision strategy that uses frequent value warning to define the optimal baseline or stretching parameter is found to be effective analyzing data from two several experiments, which use different frequency analysis with either predominantly A0 mode or S0 mode data or both. The focus is given on the fact that different paths are available in a sensor network and several possible combinations of results are available. Nonetheless, introducing a frequent value warning it is possible to increase the efficiency of the OBS and BSS approach making use of fewer signal processing algorithms. In addition, the effectiveness of those approach is quantified using damage indicators as metric, which confirms that the performance of OBS and BSS quantitatively agree with predictions and also demonstrate that the use of compensation strategies improve detectability of damage with a higher reliability of the system.
Underground sealing structures are necessary to seal radioactive or toxic waste in underground repositories. A special version of MgO concrete is used in the mine in Teutschenthal and applied at a large-scale test with the aim to provide a low permeability barrier. The test structures (up to 10 m long) were created by shotcreting. Besides destructive tests, non-destructive ultrasonic measurements have been evaluated for quality assurance to monitor potential anomalies such as cracks, concrete inhomogeneities, and delamination. We show results of ultrasonic measurements with a multi-transducer system used at the front and from the side of the concrete structure. Images are obtained by synthetic aperture focusing techniques. The boundaries between concreting sections are not visible in the ultrasonic images systematically so that a successful concreting is assumed, which is confirmed by the low permeabilities observed. Several reflectors up to a depth of 1.2 m are identified and interpreted as potential damages in the concrete. Phase analysis of prominent reflectors reveal a negative impedance contrast thus indicating air filled voids, cracks or delamination. Boreholes through some of the identified reflectors are used to verify the results from ultrasonic measurements. Additionally, an experiment with incorporated artificial defects was undertaken to analyse the reliability of the applied methods. Overall, the conducted tests show the potential of ultrasonic measurements to detect critical anomalies. Despite challenges at small-scale structures (cm-order), large-scale anomalies can be identified. Consequently, implementing ultrasonic monitoring during and after the construction of concrete sealing structures has shown its potential as a tool for quality assurance, but needs further development and validation.
Temperature Compensation Strategies for Lamb Wave Inspection using Distributed Sensor Networks
(2022)
The application of temperature compensation strategies is crucial in structural health monitoring approaches based on guided waves. Actually, the varying temperature influences the performance of the inspection system inducing false alarms or missed detection, with a consequent reduction of reliability. This paper quantitatively describes a method to compensate the temperature effect, namely the optimal baseline selection (OBS), extending its application to the case of distributed sensor networks (DSN). The effect of temperature separation between baseline time-traces in OBS are investigated considering multiple couples of sensors employed in the DSN. A combined strategy that uses both OBS and frequent value warning is considered. Theoretical results are compared, using data from two several experiments, which use different frequency analysis with either predominantly A0 mode or S0 mode data or both. The focus is given on the fact that different paths are available in a sensor network and several possible combination of results are available. Nonetheless, introducing a frequent value warning it is possible to increase the efficiency of the OBS approach making use of fewer signal processing algorithms. These confirm that the performance of OBS quantitatively agrees with predictions and also demonstrate that the use of compensation strategies improve detectability of damage.
Ultrasound measurements in concrete are a well-known technique in civil engineering and non-destructive testing.
For consistent monitoring of a concrete structure, the common techniques, using external sensors can often not provide the appropriate degree of repeatability, as the surface of structures changes, and comparable coupling conditions cannot be guaranteed when a measurement is repeated after some time. By embedding ultrasound transducers in concrete, we aim to develop a strategy for long-term monitoring of infrastructure, especially bridges, as a supplement and extension to other techniques. Applying the so-called coda wave interferometry to these measurements we can detect subtle changes in the medium far beyond the Resolution limit of traditional time of flight methods. A smart sensor layout enables cost-efficient sensing of the entire area of interest.
Embedding the transducers might remove uncertainties like coupling or positioning changes, while other challenges remain.
Temperature and moisture content influence the structure and the transducers. These drifts need to be recorded and removed and good coupling must be ensured while not being able to visually inspect the sensor. In a multidisciplinary research group funded by the German Research Foundation, we aim to solve these problems on the way towards an ultrasound monitoring system for reinforced concrete structures. In various experiments in the lab and field, we determine the influence of temperature variations on the measurements and the equipment. As the monitoring task is the detection of irreversible damages - not reversible changes - a smart system requires a smart way of discrimination between permanent damages and reversible changes. With the data collected in these experiments, we present an approach to an environmental correction to ultrasound data to avoid a
misinterpretation of these environmental changes as damage indicators.
While contact and immersion ultrasonic testing are established methods in non-destructive testing (NDT), generating high power air-coupled ultrasound remains a challenging task. Solutions often involve setups that are restricted to lab environments. When field measurements are required, such as in NDT for civil engineering, a handy, robust and safe transducer is needed. For this purpose, an ultrasonic transducer based on a fluidic switch has been developed. A sonic air flow inside the device is switched rapidly so that an ultrasonic signal is generated. Both theory and previous flow simulations suggest that the control flow pressure ramp has only little influence on the switching time of the device. This publication gives an overview over the operating principle of the fluidic ultrasonic transducer and investigates the influence of control tube length and pulsing repetition rate on the ultrasonic pressure amplitude. High repetition rates are found to reduce the signal amplitude, whereas long tubing has only little negative influence on the amplitude while improving signal quality.
Lamb waves are a common tool in the field of non-destructive testing and are widely used for materialcharacterisation. Further, the increasing computational capability of modern systems enables the Simulation of complex and detailed material models. This work demonstrates the possibility of simulating an adhesive-bonded multilayer system by characterising each layer individually, and introduces an Approach for determining the dispersive behaviour of acoustic waves in a multilayer system via real measurements.
Rail inspection performed by ultrasonic rail inspection trains is a complex and challenging process. A large number of variables and parameters given by the environment, the track and the testing-system have an influence on the overall performance of the inspection and the inspection result. Typically the parameter vary in a combination depending on the track condition.
To evaluate the individual influence of each relevant variable, simulation tools can be used. Therefore the entire inspection process has to be transferred into a model using combined modelling techniques.
The goal of this work is to model an instrumented ultrasonic test run with a rail inspection train with the parameters varied by a script over a virtually driven distance.
For more than 60 years ultrasonic rail inspection is used as non-destructive testing method to ensure the safe operation of rail tracks. Constantly increasing traffic density and heavy loads have been the motor for the development of new test equipment from handheld devices to rail inspection trains. (Krull 2003)Up to the present most of the system solutions feature conventional ultrasonic transducers housed in wheel-type and slide-type probes. Different tasks have to be carried out during an in-service inspection for flaws in the rail head, rail web and rail foot as well as rolling contact fatigue (Heckel 2018). The more tasks the inspection system has to perform, the more probes are needed. Compared against standard ultrasonic testing methods the application of array probes offers advantages and flexibility by the electronic steering possibilities to control the transmitted and received sound fields. This allows to increase functionality by software while decreasing the number of probes needed in hardware in parallel. One drawback in application of phased array probes is that the repetition frequency of the subsequent measurements will be reduced by the number of virtual probe functions each phased array probe has to perform. This may limit the range of use for phased array probes in high speed applications. To overcome these limits special designs for array probes and signal processing are necessary.
An essential task in many industries, e.g. food, petrol or chemical industry, is the precise and accurate characterization of liquids. Therefore, the development of innovative in-line sensors is of great interest. New concepts based on periodic structures, so-called phononic crystals (PnCs), are an interesting idea for the design of innovative sensors.
A PnC-based sensor can be designed by introducing a resonance inside a bandgap, a frequency region where no wave propagation is allowed. High-Q measurement systems using PnCs are already reported in the literature. However, existing designs cannot be implemented into a piping system directly, but need special fittings, openings or by-passes to be in contact with the liquid.
To circumvent this issue, we develop a new sensor based on PnCs, which can be directly implemented as part of the piping system. For this purpose, we use a PnC consisting of hollow cylinders with a periodic change of the outer diameter.
A bandgap could be found for the described geometry without fluid in simulation and measurement. However, simulations show, that a bandgap for fluid-filled cylinders can only be obtained for quasi-longitudinal modes. Hence, we propose a mode selective excitation for the sensor.