Wave propagation models for quantitative defect detection by ultrasonic methods

Abstract

Ultrasonic guided wave testing necessitates of quantitative, rather than qualitative, information on flaw size, shape and position. This quantitative diagnosis ability can be used to provide meaningful data to a prognosis algorithm for remaining life prediction, or simply to generate data sets for a statistical defect classification algorithm. Quantitative diagnostics needs models able to represent the interaction of guided waves with various defect scenarios. One such model is the Global-Local (GL) method, which uses a full finite element discretization of the region around a flaw to properly represent wave diffraction, and a suitable set of wave functions to simulate regions away from the flaw. Displacement and stress continuity conditions are imposed at the boundary between the global and the local regions. In this paper the GL method is expanded to take advantage of the Semi-Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) method in the global portion of the waveguide. The SAFE method is efficient because it only requires the discretization of the cross-section of the waveguide to obtain the wave dispersion solutions and it can handle complex structures such as multilayered sandwich panels. The GL method is applied to predicting quantitatively the interaction of guided waves with defects in aluminum and composites structural components.