Locating cracks in isotropic plates using nonlinear guided waves

Abstract

Guided waves are gaining popularity in the NDT (Nondestructive Testing) industry due to their potential for cost and time savings when inspecting structures and their high sensitivity in detecting micro-defects over large areas. Cracks caused by various issues are one of the most common causes of material failure, severely affecting the structure’s durability and serviceability. The significance of small cracks may vary across different applications. As a result, detecting and classifying damages is a challenging process limited by the current detection techniques. This makes the damage detection process challenging and sets the limit on the range of damage detection techniques that can be used. This study uses experimental and numerical approaches for detecting and locating cracks in isotropic plates using the second harmonic of the symmetric guided wave (S0) induced by cracks. This article analyzes a range of numerical models with varying orientations and dimensions. The second harmonic of the (S0) guided wave is used for detecting and locating the crack. The results show that the second harmonic of the (S0) guided wave induced by crack can detect and locate cracks in plates. The proposed technique is accurate, reliable, and does not require baseline data, providing an advantage over conventional ultrasonic testing techniques.