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Eingeladener Vortrag
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Early detection of fatigue cracks and accurate measurements of the crack growth play an important role in the maintenance and repair strategies of steel structures exposed to cyclic loads during their service life. Observation of welded connections is especially of high relevance due to their higher susceptibility to fatigue damage. The aim of this contribution was to monitor fatigue crack growth in thick welded specimens during fatigue tests as holistically as possible, by implementing multiple NDT methods simultaneously in order to record the crack initiation and propagation until the final fracture. In addition to well-known methods such as strain gauges, thermography, and ultrasound, the crack luminescence method developed at the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM), which makes cracks on the surface particularly visible, was also used. For data acquisition, a first data fusion concept was developed and applied in order to synchronize the data of the different methods and to evaluate them to a large extent automatically. The resulting database can ultimately also be used to access, view, and analyze the experimental data for various NDT methods. During the conducted fatigue tests, the simultaneous measurements of the same cracking process enabled a comprehensive comparison of the methods, highlighting their individual strengths and limitations. More importantly, they showed how a synergetic combination of different NDT methods can be beneficial for implementation in large-scale fatigue testing but also in monitoring and inspection programs of in-service structures - such as the support structures of offshore wind turbines.
Offshore wind turbines (OWT) are a key factor of the sustainable energy generation of tomorrow. The continuously increasing installation depths and weight of the OWTs require suitable foundation concepts like monopiles or tripods. Typically, mild steels like the S420ML are used with plate thicknesses up to several hundreds of mm causing high restraints in the weld joints. Due to the large plate thickness, submerged arc welding (SAW) with multiple wires is the state-of-the-art welding procedure. As a result of the very high stiffness of the construction, a certain susceptibility for time-delayed hydrogen-assisted cracking (HAC) may occur. The evaluation of crack susceptibility is very complex due to the component size and stiffness of real offshore structures. For this purpose, a near-component test geometry was developed to transfer the real stiffness conditions to laboratory (i.e., workshop) scale. The investigated mock-up, weighing 350 kg, comprised heavy plates (thickness 50 mm, seam length 1,000 m) joined by a 22-pass submerged arc weld. Additional stiffeners simulated the effect of high restraint or shrinkage restraint of the weld. Extreme scenarios of hydrogen absorption during welding were simulated via the use of welding fluxes in dry (HD < 5 ml/100g Fe) and moisture condition (HD > 15 ml/100g Fe). The residual stresses were determined by a robot X-ray diffractometer. Areas of critical tensile residual stress (at the level of the yield strength) were found in the weld metal and heat affected zone. To identify possible delayed cracking, the welds were tested by phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT) after 48 h. Summarized, no significant occurrence of HAC was detected, indicating the high crack resistance of the welded joint, i.e., a suitable combination of base material, welding consumable and welding parameters.
Composite pressure vessels for transporting dangerous goods and for hydrogen and natural gas vehicles consist of a load-bearing composite and a gas-tight, metallic or polymeric barrier layer (liner). To investigate the aging behavior of such composite pressure vessels, BAM carried out the interdisciplinary project COD-AGE. The aim of the project was the development of methods and models for the description and determination of the aging behavior of carbon fiber composites using the example of pressure vessels in order to better predict aging and safe working life. One focus of this project was the provision of suitable NDT methods. These included both test-related tests and the possible development of test equipment for later practical use.
In the lecture, test results of the age-related eddy current test on composite pressure vessels are presented.
In aging tests, pressure vessels made of an approximately 4 mm thick aluminum liner and approx. 8 mm thick CFRP layer were examined. Typical application of such pressure vessels are respiratory protective devices of the fire department. The pressure vessels were tested using conventional eddy current technology from the outer and inner side as well as with high-frequency eddy current technology. Both damage to the metallic liner and structures of the CFRP could be detected. A particular mechanical challenge was the inspection of the inside of the liners, since a cylindrical surface with an inside diameter of 150 mm has to be tested with an access of only 15 mm diameter.
Low-velocity impact damages were monitored in-situ using an infrared camera before, during and after Impact load. Thermal images were recorded as a function of time at the front side (impact) as well as at the rear side of the plates using a high frame rate. In CFRP and GFRP specimens with different thicknesses and made of various types of fibers and matrix materials, different kind of damages were observed. The sizes of the heated areas being related to the damages and the amount of energy dissipated into heat was determined quantitatively as a function of impact energy and are a measure of the resistance of the different materials against impact load.
As a part of ProMoAM project, we are optimizing a prototype X-ray backscatter to reach NDT requirements, and thereafter to apply it for process monitoring. Moreover, we studied the capability of a radiography approach to detect artificial defects in AM components made by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF).
The project ProMoAM is presented. The goal of the project is to evaluate which NDT techniques or combination of techniques is suited for in-situ quality assurance in additive manufacturing of metals. To this end, also 3d-data fusion and visualization techniques are applied. Additional ex-situ NDT-techniques are used as references for defect detection and quantification. Feasability studies for NDT-techniques that are presently not applicable for in-situ use are performed as well.
The presentation gives a brief overview of the whole project and the different involved NDT-techniques.
The reassessment of bridges is becoming increasingly important. The basic requirement for analyses of structural safety is reliable knowledge about individual structures. This paper introduces the new approach to evaluate the quality of measured data gained from non-destructive testing (NDT) to provide reliable, objective, and relevant information about existing bridges. The purpose is to relate this validated knowledge to probabilistic analyses. Bridging the gap between NDT and numerical reassessments indicates reduced numerical uncertainties and residual service time extensions. This paper deals with an application of this approach using measurement data collected by ultrasonic technique at a prestressed concrete bridge.
It is known that the spalling risk of dense, high-strength concretes (HSC) can be reduced by the addition of polypropylene (PP) fibres and, in particular, PP-fibres that have been pre-treated using electron irradiation. It is presumed that the enhanced reduction in spalling resulting from electron irradiation pre-treatment of the fibres can be attributed to enhanced penetration of the molten fibre material into the micro-cracks around the fibres, due to their significantly decreased viscosity. So far there has been no experimental evidence for this. Against this background, this paper gives a com-parative analysis of the mode of action of PP-fibres with and without pre-treatment using multi-scale test methodology.
Initially, fire tests on small-scale building components with accompanying damage monitoring veri-fied that the amount of PP-fibres can be halved by using pre-treated PP-fibres without reducing the fire performance of HSC. Detailed investigations of PP-fibres carried out in a completed research project funded by DFG (the German Research Foundation) using digital scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry measurements (DSC/TG) as well as viscometer measurements showed that the pre-treatment has no significant influence on the melting temperature of the PP-fibres. However, a drastic reduction of the melt viscosity due to the electron irradiation was detectable. Additional dila-tation tests showed that the expansion behaviour of both fibre types and their melts do not differ significantly [1]. Rather, both fibre types generate high pressures when their thermal expansion is hindered. Further detailed investigations by means of continuous heating tests with a low heating rate were carried out on separately produced concrete cylinders. These tests showed that the pre-treatment of the PP-fibres causes earlier dehydration in conjunction with stagnation of thermal expansion of the concrete cylinders (temperature reduction from 180 °C to 170 °C). This is accompanied by in-creased acoustic emission activity during the thermal expansion tests. This leads to the assumption that the pre-treatment of PP-fibres results in earlier micro-crack development. However, it was not possible to confirm this assumption by microscopic examination of drilling cores with a diameter of 30 mm exposed to defined temperatures in the range between 150°C and 300°C. Microscopic obser-vations and additional X-ray 3D computed tomography (3D-CT) scans on miniaturised drilling cores exposed to temperature cycles showed a similar networking of fibre beds by means of micro-cracks in HSC for both fibre types. However, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and wavelength disper-sive X-ray spectroscopy revealed fundamental differences in the penetration capacity of the fibre melts of the two fibre types. The increased penetration of the pre-treated PP-fibre melt revealed in these tests, confirms the initial working hypothesis.
Unilateral thermal exposure of concrete building components induces moisture transport processes that have a significant influence on the spalling behaviour of dense high-strength concrete (HSC). These transport processes are based on evaporation and condensation mechanisms of liquid and gaseous water in the pores as well as the chemically bound water within the concrete. The low permeability of HSC and the formation of a saturated zone within building components (also known as a moisture clog) leads to high water-vapour pressures, which contributes to explosive spalling. The formation of these pressures has already been verified by means of pore-pressure measurement techniques. In addition, the redistribution of the moisture within concrete specimens subject to unilateral thermal exposure has been demonstrated on fractured surfaces. Investigations by means of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry technique and neutron radiography have shown one-dimensional changes in moisture distribution during thermal exposure.
However, none of these methods has been able to depict the moisture distribution in three dimensions (3D), so the link between pore size, concrete micro-structure and moisture content is missing. The research project presented in this paper aims to fill this gap by developing a new multi-level test methodology to characterise non-destructively the temporal course of spatial moisture distribution during unilateral thermal exposure. The procedure used during this programme included the collection of X-ray 3D-computed tomography (CT) measurements using a miniaturised specimen subjected to in-situ thermal exposure and the comparison of those CT results with the results of one-dimensional NMR-relaxometry before and after the heating process.
In the first step, a mobile heating device was developed, built and tested. To simulate a unilaterally-heated construction component, a cylindrical specimen made of HSC (Ø = 40 mm, L = 100 mm) was cast into an impermeable glass ceramic shell. The ceramic shell ensured a one-dimensional moisture flux and limited the thermal expansion of the concrete. An additional high-temperature wool (HTW) insulating shell ensured a one-dimensional heat flux. The heating device, which operated using infrared radiation (IR), allowed the unilateral heating of the specimens up to 300 °C using variable heating regimes.
In the second step, the mobile heating device was integrated into the CT-scanner, which enabled the collection of measurements before, during and after heating. By subtraction of successive 3D-CT images, X-ray attenuation differences could be resolved three-dimensionally in the specimen and interpreted as changes in the moisture content.
Initial results show that this test methodology can monitor the 3D changes of moisture content inside the specimen during thermal exposure. It enables the researcher to visualise areas with moisture accumulation as well as dehydrated areas inside the specimen. Comparative one-dimensional NMR-relaxometry measurements confirm the results of the CT image analysis.
It is known that the spalling risk of dense, high-strength concretes (HSC) can be reduced by the addition of polypropylene (PP) fibres and, in particular, PP-fibres that have been pre-treated using electron irradiation. It is presumed that the enhanced reduction in spalling resulting from electron irradiation pre-treatment of the fibres can be attributed to enhanced penetration of the molten fibre material into the micro-cracks around the fibres, due to their significantly decreased viscosity. So far there has been no experimental evidence for this. Against this background, this paper gives a com-parative analysis of the mode of action of PP-fibres with and without pre-treatment using multi-scale test methodology.
Initially, fire tests on small-scale building components with accompanying damage monitoring veri-fied that the amount of PP-fibres can be halved by using pre-treated PP-fibres without reducing the fire performance of HSC. Detailed investigations of PP-fibres carried out in a completed research project funded by DFG (the German Research Foundation) using digital scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetry measurements (DSC/TG) as well as viscometer measurements showed that the pre-treatment has no significant influence on the melting temperature of the PP-fibres. However, a drastic reduction of the melt viscosity due to the electron irradiation was detectable. Additional dila-tation tests showed that the expansion behaviour of both fibre types and their melts do not differ significantly [1]. Rather, both fibre types generate high pressures when their thermal expansion is hindered. Further detailed investigations by means of continuous heating tests with a low heating rate were carried out on separately produced concrete cylinders. These tests showed that the pre-treatment of the PP-fibres causes earlier dehydration in conjunction with stagnation of thermal expansion of the concrete cylinders (temperature reduction from 180 °C to 170 °C). This is accompanied by in-creased acoustic emission activity during the thermal expansion tests. This leads to the assumption that the pre-treatment of PP-fibres results in earlier micro-crack development. However, it was not possible to confirm this assumption by microscopic examination of drilling cores with a diameter of 30 mm exposed to defined temperatures in the range between 150°C and 300°C. Microscopic obser-vations and additional X-ray 3D computed tomography (3D-CT) scans on miniaturised drilling cores exposed to temperature cycles showed a similar networking of fibre beds by means of micro-cracks in HSC for both fibre types. However, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and wavelength disper-sive X-ray spectroscopy revealed fundamental differences in the penetration capacity of the fibre melts of the two fibre types. The increased penetration of the pre-treated PP-fibre melt revealed in these tests, confirms the initial working hypothesis.
Unilateral thermal exposure of concrete building components induces moisture transport processes that have a significant influence on the spalling behaviour of dense high-strength concrete (HSC). These transport processes are based on evaporation and condensation mechanisms of liquid and gaseous water in the pores as well as the chemically bound water within the concrete. The low permeability of HSC and the formation of a saturated zone within building components (also known as a moisture clog) leads to high water-vapour pressures, which contributes to explosive spalling. The formation of these pressures has already been verified by means of pore-pressure measurement techniques. In addition, the redistribution of the moisture within concrete specimens subject to unilateral thermal exposure has been demonstrated on fractured surfaces. Investigations by means of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxometry technique and neutron radiography have shown one-dimensional changes in moisture distribution during thermal exposure.
However, none of these methods has been able to depict the moisture distribution in three dimensions (3D), so the link between pore size, concrete micro-structure and moisture content is missing. The research project presented in this paper aims to fill this gap by developing a new multi-level test methodology to characterise non-destructively the temporal course of spatial moisture distribution during unilateral thermal exposure. The procedure used during this programme included the collection of X-ray 3D-computed tomography (CT) measurements using a miniaturised specimen subjected to in-situ thermal exposure and the comparison of those CT results with the results of one-dimensional NMR-relaxometry before and after the heating process.
In the first step, a mobile heating device was developed, built and tested. To simulate a unilaterally-heated construction component, a cylindrical specimen made of HSC (Ø = 40 mm, L = 100 mm) was cast into an impermeable glass ceramic shell. The ceramic shell ensured a one-dimensional moisture flux and limited the thermal expansion of the concrete. An additional high-temperature wool (HTW) insulating shell ensured a one-dimensional heat flux. The heating device, which operated using infrared radiation (IR), allowed the unilateral heating of the specimens up to 300 °C using variable heating regimes.
In the second step, the mobile heating device was integrated into the CT-scanner, which enabled the collection of measurements before, during and after heating. By subtraction of successive 3D-CT images, X-ray attenuation differences could be resolved three-dimensionally in the specimen and interpreted as changes in the moisture content.
Initial results show that this test methodology can monitor the 3D changes of moisture content inside the specimen during thermal exposure. It enables the researcher to visualise areas with moisture accumulation as well as dehydrated areas inside the specimen. Comparative one-dimensional NMR-relaxometry measurements confirm the results of the CT image analysis.
Today, it is an established fact that the capability of the non-destructive testing (NDT) to find flaws can be properly addressed only in terms of probability of detection (POD). The probabilistic, signal-response model, introduced in 1980s, was developed with experimental observation of eddy-current inspections of flat plate samples, containing surface breaking cracks. A linearity between the peak voltage measured by the testing system, and the crack depth was observed. The influence of the crack depth was therefore seen as the major influencing factor for the POD, whereas other factors merely caused the variability in the measurement. This model has proven itself valid for those inspection cases where there is only one main influencing factor on the POD (usually the flaw size) and other factors have a lesser influence. But with increasing requirements to quantify the capability of NDT systems in complex inspection situations, where several factors have a major influence on the POD, it has become clear that the applicability of this simple model has reached its limits. In disregard to its limitations, this model is regularly applied to those situations in which its fundamental assumptions are invalid, forcing evaluators and NDT researchers into attempts to fit the data to an unsuitable model, instead of fitting an appropriate model to the data.
The multiparameter POD model, developed in the early 2010s, enables more factors that influence detection to be simultaneously analysed, making the POD a function of multiple factors. The model is based on the inspection’s physical model, to describe the influence of different factors on the response signal. Measurement variability is obtained from the experiment. Using this model assisted determination of the POD, the necessary number of flaws for evaluation is reduced and a more comprehensive understanding of the inspection is obtained. Several examples of the successful application of the multi-parameter POD model in different fields will be presented.
The field of human factors has been concerned with prevention of organisational accidents and the maintaining of the highest safety standards in organisations with high hazard potential since its beginnings. Whereas it is known that human error has contributed to some well-known accidents and events in various safety-critical applications, as well as in railway, and that human factors have an impact on how reliable our non-destructive inspections are, very little has been done so far to address human factors, especially in the railway sector.
The first steps in addressing human factors in the inspection of railway axles has been carried out by analysing the results of manual ultrasonic inspection of the railway axles during requalification in the education centre of the German Society for Non-Destructive Testing (DGZfP). In addition to the inspection, 160 participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire with the aim of identifying potential factors influencing their performance. The results showed that no correlation between the possible influencing factors (i.e. experience, level of qualification, satisfaction with the conditions during the re-qualification as well as in the daily practice and mental workload) and the inspection results. The explanation for this result was found in the fact that questionnaires can be used only to identify indirectly influencing factors. The only way to identify directly influencing factors and establish cause-effect relationships is by experimental study. The limitation of this study was the inability to influence the participants in any way during the requalification examination. Another angle used to identify potential influencing factors was the use of human-oriented Failure Modes and Effects Analysis. Carried out together with 4 experts from the field practice, two lecturers and two scientists, this analysis provided with an extensive list of possible failures, their causes, consequences and possible barriers. The largest benefits for the reliability of manual ultrasonic railway axle inspections in the practice can be found in attending to the organisational aspects of the inspection (e.g. processes, procedures, communication, education, supervision etc.).
Elastic wave propagation of ultrasound in bituminous road surfaces – simulations and measurements
(2015)
Maintenance costs of road infrastructure are increasing steadily. Adverse environmental impacts on infrastructure get more and more important as well. Therefore, it is important to determine how limited financial resources can be directed with an optimum pay-out. The present study takes first steps towards the usage of low-frequency ultrasound as a tool to evaluate the road condition.
How much information do we need? A reflection of the correct use of real defects in POD-evaluations
(2016)
To evaluate the capability of a non destructive testing system the “truth” of the used defects is essential. But what exactly is the truth of a real defect? And how much information is usable for the study? This presentation gives an overview about an advanced use of multiple metallographic cuts for the POD evaluation. In the presentation an approach is shown where information of metallographic studies are reconstructed and weighted to gain the essential information about real defects and which information are important for the detection with radiographic testing equipment. Furthermore, different connection points are discussed were additional knowledge from simulation and artificial defects can be used to gain additional certainty for the result of the evaluation. The methodology is used for the evaluation for the digital radiographic testing system for the testing of electron-beam welds, which is one possible choice to seal the Finnish copper canisters for the final deposit of spent nuclear fuel.
The usefulness and purpose of evaluating nondestructive testing (NDT) systems and their capabilities has changed in the last decade. The conventional method of simply applying a familiar statistical algorithm to say whether the system is usable for the tasks is history. Nowadays, multiple parameter methods which describe the probabilities
of detection (POD) of different systems or real defects need new characteristics and a broader variety of statistical models to describe the true system behaviour. The appraisal of the NDT system involves diverse departments within a company (engineering, NDT-operators, and statisticians), but is, at the same time, more needed and requested than in the past. In this article, an approach is discussed in which professionals from different fields worked well together, accomplishing cost-intensive metallographic studies in correlation with well-understood physical behaviour of NDT-methods as well as deep-discussed mathematical methods to create a holistic evaluation of the technical reliability for a specific radiographic testing (RT) equipment. The first part of the publication will show the comparison between metallographic grinding and the RT indications. An essential innovation over past evaluation methods was the use of a multi-scale smoothing algorithm, which describes physical parameters, which were not used in evaluation like the POD in this way in the past. In the second part the statistical requirements for the POD take the focus. It can often be hard to make significant statements; especially in the case where only a small amount of data is available. The combination of data and the use of knowledge from simulations are essential. One possible solution will be shown for the RT evaluation. The methodology is used for evaluating the digital RT system for the inspection of electron-beam welds, which was method considered to seal the Finnish copper canisters for the final deposit of spent nuclear fuel.
Achieving reliability in NDE for nuclear power plants is a complex challenge. As engineers we tend to focus on the equipment and the written procedures; they are easy for us to understand, measure and control. This focus addresses only one of the four aspects of the BAM holistic model, namely, Intrinsic Capability. Another of the model's modules, Application Parameters, also is engineering-oriented as examiners work to ensure that the equipment and procedure can be applied correctly in the actual examination environment as it is found in the field, though in addition to engineering it requires organizational foresight and commitment to understand and prepare for that specific environment well in advance. The Human Factors reliability module is harder for us to think about. The procedure developers think, "Of course all the examiners in the field will understand all aspects of my procedure and execute them correctly." Most of our bad experiences with reliability occur when this happy thought turns out to be untrue. And finally, perhaps the hardest reliability module to affect is Organizational Context. Getting all of the stakeholders -- the plant owner, the NDE company, the examiners, the regulators, the qualification body, the equipment suppliers -- to think about reliability in the same way, years in advance of the examination, to think about reliability at every step in the long process leading to the day of the examination itself, is a heavy lift indeed.
The aim of all the effort devoted to NDE reliability is to evaluate the reliability accurately, reliably and efficiently, in accordance with the specific requirements of industrial application taking into account the very different nature of influencing factors. The set up of the Modular Reliability Model in 1997 was a big step forward in the understanding of influencing mechanisms in terms of the three different main elements, i.e. the intrinsic capability (IC), the application parameters (AP) and the human factors (HF). The intrinsic capability stands for the pure physical-technological process of the signal detection caused by the waves or the rays from a material defect in the presence of noise (caused by the material and the devices). This intrinsic capability is the upper bound of the possible reliability. Already when measuring this intrinsic capability for thick walled components the original one-parameter POD should be extended to a multi-parameter POD, where, in addition to the defect size, a number of additional physical parameters, such as the grain size distribution (or attenuation), defect depth, and angle or surface roughness, must be considered. For real life cycle assessments it is necessary to evaluate the signal response from real defects. The industrial application factors, e.g. coupling conditions, limited accessibility, heat and environmental vibrations, diminish the reliability. The amount of reduction can be determined quantitatively, if the underlying conditions are controlled. In case they are not controlled it is necessary to count for a (unknown) fluctuation in the reliability in the field anyway. The third group of important influencing factors are the human factors, which do not only cover the individual performance capability of the inspectors but also the design of the working place, the procedure, the teamwork quality, interaction with systems, the organization, and finally, the relationship between the companies involved in the inspection process and to which extend the responsible parties are aware of it. Both the internal and external organizational context, affect not only the HF but also the IC and AP. After having analysed the single factors separately it is necessary to look how everything is interconnected. When comparing an “ideal inspection” with a “real inspection” it is worthwhile to look at the existing practices, rules and standards. How do they really support reliable testing? With respect to the industrial end user, it needs to be shown how the level of reliability of NDE, influenced by the different factors and their interaction, has an impact on acceptance or rejection of safety critical parts. The approach of analysis and synthesis will be illustrated by examples of the reliability investigation of the inspection of copper canisters for nuclear fuel deposit in Sweden and Finland and German Railway inspections (hollow axle testing).