Application Of Non-destructive Techniques Research Articles

Ceramic Artifacts Investigations By Nuclear Techniques

Abstract The paper aims to conduct a novel investigation of some ceramic samples that were taken from Hunedoara's Corvins' Castle (Romania). Some nuclear analytical techniques, such as WDXRF, XRD, neutron diffraction, and neutron tomography, will be used in the investigations. These techniques will be correlated with data from FTIR and Raman spectra. There were experimental data on the mineral and chemical composition that were gathered from the object's surface. Neutron tomography was used to examine the spatial distribution of the phases, while X-ray and neutron diffraction aid in determining the phase composition of the samples under study. The composition of the ceramic samples was identified by the results as follows: quartz, hematite, feldspar, and calcite. Zirconia and titanium dioxide were found in the green pigments. The application of non-destructive techniques that have a high penetration rate into bulk objects seems appropriate in this instance.

Studying the applicability of non-destructive techniques in diagnosing defects of soil-cement columns

This article studies the applicability of the Non-Destructive Techniques (NDT) into semi-rigid structures, particularly in soil-cement columns. A numerical model for the semi-rigid soil-cement column is first created. Different kinds of defects are intentionally allocated in the model, including necking, bulging, and degraded stiffness. The assumption is that by using an excitation as an impact load at the structure head and then letting the structure vibrating freely, studying the wave characteristics inside the structure, i.e., responsive velocity and displacement at various points along the column shaft, the impedance could be determined. If there is any variation in the mechanical impedance Z, which is defined to be the product of mass density, area of the cross-section, and the wave velocity, the defects are confirmed. The shape of the impedance curves with respect to combined defects is analyzed, and spectral response curves are plotted. The process of analysis in the time domain and frequency domain for the soil-cement column is conducted using Fast Fourier Transformation. The theoretical and computed impedance of the structure from the numerical model will be compared with each other, in the shape of the responsive curves, and the distinguished issues; some discussions on the propagation of waves through semi-rigid structures are summarized. There is no distinguishing feature in the characteristics of the impedance of the structure revealed. It comes to the conclusion that the applicability of the vibration test is not clearly recognized. There is quite a difficulty in evaluating the performance of the semi-rigid structures like soil-cement columns by using vibration or impact load test. This outcome suggests that the column is not the same as the pile, and another alternative and/or approach is recommended to apply in quality assurance/control QA/QC for such embedded semi-rigid structures.

Application of Non-Destructive Techniques on a Varve Sediment Record from Vouliagmeni Coastal Lake, Eastern Gulf of Corinth, Greece

During the last few decades, X-ray attenuation systems have been established as standard techniques in geosciences and as excellent scientific tools for the analysis of sedimentary facies and structures. In the present study, we use two non-destructive and high-resolution systems (computed tomography, X-ray fluorescence) to address all sedimentological facies and structural characteristics on a 6 m long, partly laminated sediment record, from Vouliagmeni lake, located at the eastern part of the Corinth Gulf, Greece. Vouliagmeni lake is the deepest coastal lake in Greece, and its location is of great importance since it is located in one of the most tectonically active regions in the world. The chronological framework of the retrieved sediment sequence spans the last 12,000 years, with alternations of laminated and non-laminated sections. The annual accumulation of the laminated sequences was determined through the radionuclide concentration of 14 samples. Scanning tomography was performed with a medical CT scanner and a μCT scanner, aiming to compare the potentials and variations of both methods. Lamination boundaries, event layers (turbidites) and sediment deformations were distinguished through processing the extracted 3D rendered volumes, after applying ranges depending on Hounsfield (HU) values. Microscopic analysis revealed three main layer types in the varve sequences that were examined, attributing to summer/spring, autumn and winter deposits. Statistical analysis of the elemental composition, magnetic susceptibility (MS) measurements and HU values revealed three clusters/facies, reflecting climatic and in-lake hydrological changes. Cluster A emulates sedimentation during arid conditions, while Cluster B reflects humid conditions with increased precipitation and erosion. Cluster C represents sequences with homogenous Ca-rich sediment. Our proposed workflow highlights the possible correlation between the non-destructive variables that were measured, but also the variations and applications of each method and software used during this study.

Applications of Non-Destructive Techniques in the study of a Caribbean historic timber house

The aims of this research is to analysis a Caribbean historic timber house using nondestructive techniques (NDT). The high cultural and historic value that have the timber buildings in the Caribbean and the necessity to preserve them as intact as possible, make NDTs to gain importance at the moment to selected the method to preserver and assess a historical structures in order to survive damages arising from several reasons including damaged by time. The selected techniques concern the measurement of some physical/mechanical properties and condition. The NDT analyses have been grouped under four major: visual inspection, optical, ultrasound, and electromagnetic. For analysis was used: Rinntech Resistograph model R650-ED, FLIR System model T420 for Infrared thermography (IRT), ARBOTOM for tomography, Electrical Resistance Measuring (ERM) with DELMHORST BD-2100 pin moisture meter (Protimeter) and MASTERGRIP Digital Thermometer with Laser for superficial temperature. These techniques can be applied “in situ”, without destroying the heritage and do not require to take big samples. Also, are the most appropriate tool for the evaluation the structure, materials and decorative elements of Cultural heritage.

A review of non-destructive techniques applied for measuring quality of oil palm fresh fruit bunches

The quality of oil palm fruits is evaluated through several characteristics such as the ripeness level, oil content, and free fatty acid. Besides human visual assessment and destructive techniques, another alternative method that provides quality assessment on oil palm fresh fruits bunches (FFB) is through the application of non-destructive techniques. A few of the non-destructive techniques are covered in this review such as machine vision system, visible or near infrared spectroscopy, image processing using relative entropy, fluorescence technique, Kinect camera, and optical sensor system. The main quality parameter that is being evaluated is the ripeness level of the FFB because the maturity of FFB has a direct impact on the quality of the extracted oil that will eventually affect the economic value of palm oil.

A review of common NDTs in the monitoring and preservation of historical architectural surfaces

ABSTRACTThis contribution deals with the application of non destructive techniques (NDTs) in the assessment and monitoring of the state of conservation of historical architectural surfaces, during and after restoration and maintenance interventions. The aim is to present the authors’ direct and in-situ experience with the applications of NDTs among noteworthy real case studies in relation to selected common types of decay. Thermal imaging, ultrasonic investigation, testing for the assessment of physicochemical properties, and Raman spectroscopy were all performed in order to address, diagnose, and monitor: detachments, loss of material coherence, discoloration, superficial deposits, and rising damp and moisture in several important Italian built heritage (e.g., the Ghirlandina Tower in Modena, the Sacra of San Michele near Turin, and the Narthex of Saint Mark’s Basilica in Venice).

Review: Application of Non-destructive Techniques for Fruit Quality Classification

A review is given of different non-destructive techniques for fruit quality classification. As a hot research topic in the field of International Agricultural and Food Engineering, fruit quality classification has great influence on meeting consumers’ requirements for food quality and safety. Recently, a range of non-destructive techniques has been used for evaluating fruit quality. The main non-destructive techniques for fruit classification include using electrical properties, acoustic properties, optical properties, sonic vibration properties of fruits or THz, NMR, x-rays, electronic nose, machine vision technology, near-infrared spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging to evaluate fruits without destruction. This review focus on summing up different types of non-destructive fruit classification techniques, including their pros and cons. Hyperspectral imaging techniques which were developed in recent years has been involved.

Ultrasonic characterization of GRC with high percentage of fly ash substitution

New applications of non-destructive techniques (NDT) with ultrasonic tests (attenuation and velocity by means of ultrasonic frequency sweeps) have been developed for the characterization of fibre-reinforced cementitious composites. According to new lines of research on glass-fibre reinforced cement (GRC) matrix modification, two similar GRC composites with high percentages of fly ash and different water/binder ratios will be studied. Conventional techniques have been used to confirm their low Ca(OH)2 content (thermogravimetry), fibre integrity (Scanning Electron Microscopy), low porosity (Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry) and good mechanical properties (compression and four points bending test). Ultrasound frequency sweeps allowed the estimation of the attenuation and pulse velocity as functions of frequency. This ultrasonic characterization was correlated successfully with conventional techniques.

A Comparative Study of Pottery from Mersin-Yumuktepe and Arslantepe, Turkey

The purpose of this paper is to present a summary of the application of non-destructive techniques used in a comparative study of eighty pottery fragments of the Chalcolithic period (5000 BC ca.) and Late Bronze Age (1650 - 1200 BC ca.), found in Mersin-Yumuktepe (Southern Turkey) and Arslantepe (Malatya, Eastern Turkey). The use of a scanning electron microscopy, equipped with a system of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX), has allowed determining their morphology, the main inclusions and the elemental composition of ceramic mixtures of each artifact. Moreover, the determination of majority and trace elements has revealed various information, such as the origin of raw materials or the contamination that occurred in the manufacturing phase. The multivariate statistical method has allowed highlighting similarities and/or differences among the ceramics.

Nondestructive Radioactive Tracer Technique in Characterization of Anion Exchange Resins Purolite NRW-8000 and Duolite A-368

Radioactive tracer isotopes 131I and 82Br were used to characterize anion exchange resins Purolite NRW-8000 and Duolite A-368 by application of nondestructive technique. The resin characterization was based on their performance during iodide and bromide ion-isotopic exchange reactions. It was observed that during the iodide ion-isotopic exchange reaction at a constant temperature of 40.0 °C, as the concentration of labeled iodide ion solution increases from 0.001 mol/L to 0.004 mol/L, the percentage of iodide ions exchanged increases from 62.10% to 68.10 % using Purolite NRW-8000 resins and from 44.20% to 46.80% using Duolite A-368 resins. Also at a constant temperature of 40.0 °C, 1.000 g of ion exchange resins and 0.003 mol/L labeled iodide ion solution, the values of specific reaction rate (min-1), amount of iodide ion exchanged (mmol), initial rate of iodide ion exchange (mmol/min) and log Kd were calculated as 0.260, 0.500, 0.130 and 11.8 respectively for Purolite NRW-8000 resin, which was higher than the respective values of 0.130, 0.345, 0.045 and 6.7 as that obtained for Duolite A-368 resins. The similar trend was observed for the two resins during bromide ion-isotopic exchange reaction. From the overall results it appears that under identical experimental conditions, Purolite NRW-8000 resins show superior performance over Duolite A-368 resins. It is expected here that the present nondestructive technique can be extended further for characterization of different industrial grade ion exchange resins, which will help in their selection for specific industrial application.

Application of Non-Destructive Techniques in the Inspection of the Wooden Roof of Historic Buildings: A Case Study

The aim of this paper is to show the results of applying non-destructive inspection techniques (thermography, ultrasounds and microdrilling) during the inspection works of a protected building. These non-destructive techniques have been applied in the inspection of the wooden roof to identify deterioration, density loss and defects as a means of assessing its conservation status. This work concludes that the union of these nondestructive techniques constitutes an accurate diagnostic tool for the on-site inspection of wooden structures and the evaluation of their conditions. Thermography allows to distinct moisture contents while ultrasound detects density loss in areas of the wood with high moisture content.

Nondestructive Radioactive Tracer Technique in Characterization of Anion Exchange Resins Purolite NRW-8000 and Duolite A-368

Radioactive tracer isotopes 131I and 82Br were used to characterize anion exchange resins Purolite NRW-8000 and Duolite A-368 by application of nondestructive technique. The resin characterization was based on their performance during iodide and bromide ion-isotopic exchange reactions. It was observed that during the iodide ion-isotopic exchange reaction at a constant temperature of 40.0 °C, as the concentration of labeled iodide ion solution increases from 0.001 mol/L to 0.004 mol/L, the percentage of iodide ions exchanged increases from 62.10% to 68.10 % using Purolite NRW-8000 resins and from 44.20% to 46.80% using Duolite A-368 resins. Also at a constant temperature of 40.0 °C, 1.000 g of ion exchange resins and 0.003 mol/L labeled iodide ion solution, the values of specific reaction rate (min-1), amount of iodide ion exchanged (mmol), initial rate of iodide ion exchange (mmol/min) and log Kd were calculated as 0.260, 0.500, 0.130 and 11.8 respectively for Purolite NRW-8000 resin, which was higher than the respective values of 0.130, 0.345, 0.045 and 6.7 as that obtained for Duolite A-368 resins. The similar trend was observed for the two resins during bromide ion-isotopic exchange reaction. From the overall results it appears that under identical experimental conditions, Purolite NRW-8000 resins show superior performance over Duolite A-368 resins. It is expected here that the present nondestructive technique can be extended further for characterization of different industrial grade ion exchange resins, which will help in their selection for specific industrial application.

Aplicação das técnicas não-destrutivas de ultra-som, vibração transversal e ondas de tensão para avaliação de madeira

Resumo Aplicação de técnicas não-destrutivas pode auxiliar no processo de avaliação da madeira, não sendo necessária a extração de corpos-de-prova. Entre as técnicas de avaliação mecânica, destacam-se as técnicas não-destrutivas de ultra-som e de vibração transversal. Com o avanço no uso das técnicas não-destrutivas, tornou-se possível o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias, entre as quais se destaca a técnica de ondas de tensão, que permite a obtenção de imagem tomográfica da madeira. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a acuracidade das técnicas de vibração transversal e ultra-som comparativamente aos valores obtidos em ensaios estáticos e a obtenção de imagem tomográfica a partir do emprego de ondas de tensão para a espécie Eucalyptus citriodora. Os valores obtidos de coeficiente de determinação para as técnicas de ultra-som (R² = 0,76) e vibração transversal (R² = 0,80) são significativos, demonstrando que essas são importantes ferramentas para a inferência do módulo de elasticidade da madeira. Os resultados permitem também verificar que a imagem tomográfica obtida com o emprego de ondas de tensão possibilita estimar a porcentagem da área deteriorada com adequada confiabilidade.

Non-Destructive Evaluation of the Mechanical Behavior of Chestnut Wood in Tension and Compression Parallel to Grain

This article addresses the evaluation of the strength and stiffness of chestnut wood, in tension and compression parallel to the grain, using different non-destructive techniques (ultrasounds, Resistograph® and Pilodyn 6J). Approximately 200 timber specimens (divided into compression and tension tests) were tested up to failure, comprising recently sawn timber (which is now available on the market for structural purposes) and what was called old wood, obtained from structural elements belonging to ancient buildings. The possibility of predicting wood properties by application of non-destructive techniques is discussed based on simple linear regression models. Extrapolation of regression models obtained from recent cut wooden material to that obtained from old timber beams is analyzed. The results show reasonable correlations between mechanical elastic properties and non-destructive techniques (ultrasounds, Resistograph® and Pilodyn 6J). New and old wood mechanical data exhibited a scattered cloud of points, implying in terms of assessment of properties of timber elements in service by regression models that these models should not be supported only on data from recently sawn wood. Therefore, models combining information from new and old wood specimens are proposed based on lower 95% confidence limits of regression lines.

New algorithm based on the Hough transform for the analysis of pulsed thermographic sequences

The automatic detection of subsurface defects has become a desired goal in the application of non-destructive techniques. A new algorithm based on the Hough transform is proposed to reduce human intervention to a minimum by pulsed thermography. The final result provided by this algorithm is an image showing the different defects without having attended to parameters so determinant in other algorithms as the delayed time of the first image or any subjective point of view in the analysis.

Artificial weathering and non-destructive tests for the performance evaluation of consolidation materials applied on porous stones

The evaluation of consolidation treatment efficiency in terms of improving the resistance of treated lithotypes to deterioration phenomena caused by soluble salts crystallisation, is taking place through dynamic artificial weathering accelerated tests of marine salt spray. Quarried biocalcarenites from Greece and Cyprus have been treated with four consolidation materials (diversified according to their deposition mechanism). The materials applied are colloidal dispersion of silica, pre-hydrolysed ethyl silicate with amorphous silica, ethyl silicate in ethanol and acrylsiliconic resin in organic solvents. The treated stone samples are placed in an artificial weathering chamber, where they remain for nearly two months, being attacked by severe quantities of marine salt spray. The application of non-destructive techniques (weight and ultra sonic velocity measurements, deteriorated surface analysis by a camera-laser scanning system) during the salt spray simulations verified the improvements presented to the consolidated biocalcarenite samples in comparison to the untreated ones. Consolidated samples present weight stability during the tests, increase in ultra sonic velocity and minor fluctuations on it, and less roughness increase and grain detachment during the simulations. Deductions among the consolidants are made indicating the superiority of ethyl silicate as an appropriate consolidant for those biocalcarenites, as it has arisen from these certain tests.

Application of nondestructive techniques for the prediction of elastic anistropy of a textured polycrystalline material

Effect of processing parameters including cold work and grain size on texture development in copper and 68:32 α-brass thin sheets is investigated. The preferred orientation of grains (texture) is represented quantitatively by the orientation distribution function (ODF) as derived either by X-ray diffraction or by ultrasonic velocity measurements. The texture-induced elastic moduli are derived in the sheet plane at various orientations to the rolling direction. The predicted values of elastic moduli are compared with the mechanically measured ones. An attempt is made to empirically correlate ODF coefficients to the mechanically measured elastic modulus and plastic strain ratio (r-value). The sources of discrepancies such as the limitations of the measuring techniques and the models applied are discussed.