超声检测中的声场特性及应用分析

针对超声检测中影响缺陷定量准确性的声场问题进行了深入讨论，研究了脉冲波声场的计算方法，绘制出实用换能器声轴线上的声压分布曲线，分析了不同材料和厚度的采样回波对频谱的影响，比较了连续波声场和脉冲波声场的分布特性及异同点，为提高超声检测中缺陷定量的准确性和科学性提供了依据。     

空气耦合超声换能器声场的时域计算方法

通过超声波在空气中的二次方衰减特性,推导出空气中时域格林函数的解析表达式。基于该函数和瑞利积分建立了空气耦合超声换能器时域声场的快速计算模型,并对圆形换能器声场进行仿真。结果表明,相对于无衰减介质,空气中时域信号的高频成分被极大地削弱,信号幅值随传播距离的增加而明显降低,轴向近场长度明显减小。该研究为空气耦合超声换能器声场的模拟提供了快速的计算方法,研究结果对于空气耦合超声换能器的设计和校准具有参考价值。     

超声检测过程的数值模拟

简要评述超声检测过程的数值模拟,探讨超声波声场的模拟、超声波和缺陷的相互作用、换能器－缺陷检测系统、超声波在材料和构件中的传播路径、探头设计和超声检测可靠性等。     

基于MATLAB的超声换能器声场特性仿真及可视化研究

目前利用声场的虚拟扫描数据进行可视化研究以及通过可视化数据进行参数测量的研究较少。基于MATLAB软件通过APP Designer开发出新的超声声场可视化软件，设计出声轴线上的声场分布仿真和声轴横截面上的声压仿真两类仿真试验，验证了所开发仿真软件在同一介质中换能器频率不同和半径不同情况下的声场变化，以及不同介质中使用固定频率和半径的换能器时的声场变化。试验结果表明，开发的软件在超声声场仿真模拟方面具有可靠性。     

基于等声程聚焦算法的超声相控阵检测技术

超声相控阵技术通过对超声阵列换能器各阵元进行相位控制,能获得灵活可控的合成波束,进行动态聚焦、成像检测,能够提高检测灵敏度、分辨力和信噪比。在研究超声相控阵换能器声场的偏转和聚焦特性基础上,基于ASTM推荐试块与试验标准E2491—06,设计了等声程聚焦模型,并给出了扇形偏转非聚焦以及扇形偏转等声程聚焦的检测成像结果。试验结果表明,等声程聚焦算法有效地检出了材料中的缺陷,具有很好的分辨率和信噪比,能够比较真实地反映材料内部缺陷的相对位置和大小。     

点聚焦表面波EMAT声场特性及其试验

针对曲折线圈电磁超声换能器(EMAT)换能效率和信噪比低的问题,建立了点聚焦EMAT的三维声场有限元模型,通过瞬态和稳态分析,分析了激励频率、线圈匝数和导线长度对点聚焦EMAT的声场聚焦特性以及缺陷回波特征的影响规律。搭建了0.5 MHz点聚焦EMAT检测系统,用于铝板中不同直径的圆孔检测,并与传统的曲折线圈EMAT进行对比。结果表明:采用点聚焦表面波EMAT,可以极大程度地提高信噪比和缺陷检测能力。     

棒材中超声散射场的模拟及信号的识别

棒材是一种应用很广泛的型材,因此棒材的无损检测十分重要。提出一种脉冲超声场模拟的方法,模拟了玻璃棒中的超声波散射声场。通过与动态光弹实验结果比较,解释了圆棒的超声检测中散射波（如瑞利波）的形成机理。在此基础上,用单换能器采集圆棒中的连续回波信号并对信号做相关处理,仅需测量一次棒材的回波信号就可以计算其力学性能结果。该方法对棒材探伤和力学性能评价等方面有很大用途。     

多通道动态光弹成像系统的研制

为了研究多阵元超声聚焦声波在固体中的传播规律,研制了多通道动态光弹成像系统。该系统通过对超声阵列换能器中各阵元进行相位延时控制,获得了灵活可控的合成波束,能在固体中激励出焦点可控的聚焦声波,并可以模拟相控阵技术的声束扫查过程。通过采用动态光弹技术,可以观察超声聚焦声波在固体中的传播行为。该系统实现了多阵元超声聚焦声场的可视化,能够为利用超声聚焦声波检测缺陷的理论提供可视化的实验依据,对超声无损检测具有重要的指导意义。     

基于CIVA仿真的铜合金导条超声检测研究

通过使用CIVA仿真软件对超声探头的超声声场进行建模仿真,可以得知超声探头在铜合金导条内部的超声声场分布同超声探头的焦距和直径密切相关.仿真结果表明,针对不同的缺陷检测需求,应选择合适的超声探头进行超声检测.对比试验也验证了结果的可靠性.     

基于CIVA软件的全聚焦相控阵声场特性仿真

全聚焦相控阵是当前超声无损检测领域的研究热点,但其声场特性和检测工艺方面的研究较少。在CIVA仿真软件平台的基础上,开展了全聚焦相控阵的声场仿真计算与缺陷响应研究。采用相同激发参数和孔径的超声探头仿真常规超声声场和全聚焦相控阵声场,分析比对各自的声场特性。通过缺陷响应研究模拟全聚焦相控阵声场与横通孔之间的作用,并分析了全聚焦相控阵技术的检测能力。该研究工作有望为全聚焦相控阵探头的研发设计以及检测工艺的制定提供参考。     

Applications of ultrasonic reflection mode conversion transducers in NDE

Linearly polarized ultrasonic shear waves constitute a privileged tool for investigation in the field of mechanical behavior of materials and metallic structures as well as for the determination of acoustical properties of porous materials. These waves are often generated by a piezoelectric plate vibrating in a direction perpendicular to its thickness. However, this way of production presents some difficulties to obtain a perfectly linear polarization. To palliate to this inconvenience, shear waves can be generated by the mode-conversion of a longitudinal wave.This paper deals with the principle and some applications of two types of mode conversion transducers which permit transmitting and receiving shear waves obtained by reflection mode-conversion. These transducers are made up with straight ultrasonic probes coupled, by contact, to acoustic delay lines (or relays) of different geometry. The first type of transducer uses an acoustic relay or delay line of big length. When it is buried in a recipient containing dry sand, it permits the detection of external mechanical disturbances as vibrations and transient shocks. The second type of transducer, for which the delay line has a reduced length, is used for the detection of material anisotropy and for the study of the polarization direction of conventional normal incidence shear wave transducers.     

Enhancement of signal amplitude of surface wave EMATs based on 3-D simulation analysis and orthogonal test method

The amplitude of an ultrasonic signal generated by electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) is typically low when compared to those generated by contacting transducers, which restricts the application of EMATs in the fields of nondestructive testing and nondestructive evaluation. The transmission process of a surface wave EMAT is studied, based on a previously established 3-D model, with the aim of enhancing the amplitude of ultrasonic waves generated by the EMAT. The effect of changing various EMAT parameters on the surface wave is investigated, by utilizing the orthogonal test method. Results indicate that after optimization, the signal amplitude of the EMAT has increased by 25.2%.     

中厚板EMAT无损探伤的特点

介绍了基于电磁效应的中厚板EMAT(电磁超声波换能器)探伤装置的基本原理和主要技术特点,并与传统的基于压电效应的PET(压电超声换能器)自动探伤装置进行了比较分析。EMAT自动探伤装置具备检测钢板温度范围广、无需耦合介质、探伤速度快和抗干扰性强等优点,未来在中厚板行业将具有良好发展前景。     

Ultrasonic surface wave propagation and interaction with surface defects on rail track head

Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) are non-contact ultrasonic transducers capable of generating wide band ultrasonic surface waves on metallic samples. A lab-based laser-EMAT system has been developed to observe the ultrasonic surface wave propagation and interaction with surface breaking defects on the sample rail head surface. A wide band EMAT generating surface waves with a frequency content between approximately 50 and 500 kHz is used to propagate ultrasonic waves on the surface of a rail head down the length of the sample. A stabilised Michelson interferometer is used to measure the out-of-plane displacement of the surface wave. A complete picture of the ultrasonic surface wave on the sample surface over time is reconstructed using this technique, with exceptionally high spatial and temporal resolution. Despite the curvature of the rail head, the ultrasonic surface wave propagating down the rail is found to have similar properties to Rayleigh waves by direct comparison to those observed on flat samples using the same technique.     

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ULTRASONIC NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING FOR WELDS

A computer simulation technique for ultrasonic propagation is utilized for the simulation of ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT).In this paper,one goal of the simulation is to compute ultrasonic field radiated by arbitrary transducers into pieces under examination.The other simulates a testing experiment.The simulation approach is based on the model for the computation of the ultrasonic field in isotropic media radiated from actual NDT transducers.After the field is known, remaining to be modeled is the interaction between this field and the scatters (defect) and the echo structure. The model of beam-defect interaction is based on the Kirchhoff‘s diffraction approximations theory applied to elastodynamics.We assumed that the incident wave fronts on the defect are plane in the case of a focused immersed transducer and material is isotropic and homogeneous.The simulating results demonstrate that the model in ultrasonic NDT of welds is practical in further research and useful in optimizing testing configurations.     

Simultaneous ultrasonic evaluation with differentiation of stress and texture

An ultrasonic method for either independent or simultaneous determination of stress and texture is discussed. Quantitative differentiation between stress and texture during simultaneous measurements can be made. The method is useful for unidirectionally rolled, extruded, or cast material, and the validity of the method has been experimentally verified by extensive tests on rolled materials. Electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMAT’s) have been used, and these allow measurements during processing. In principle the method is applicable to non-conducting materials if piezoelectric or ferroelectric transducers are used, but since they are contracting and EMAT’s are noncontacting, the constraints are more severe.     

An ultrasonic array-based system for real-time inspection of carbon-epoxy composite plates

A real-time ultrasonic imager operating at a frequency of 3.5 MHz to test composites in immersion has been developed. It is based on linear array transducers and provides either B-scan or transmission images of composite plates of a few centimeters thickness. The electronic scanning has a pitch of 1.25 mm and an amplitude of 80 mm, and the electronic focusing as well as the acoustic lens on the arrays are set to work at a depth of 40 mm in water. Tests made on composite and plastic plates of 5 to 17 mm thickness show that the system allows the detection of different types of defects and that the interpretation of the ultrasonic signals can be performed on line.     

Enhancement of ultrasonic signal using a new design of Rayleigh-wave electromagnetic acoustic transducer

The main disadvantage of electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs) is their inefficiency in generating ultrasound. A new design of Rayleigh-wave EMAT is proposed with improved ultrasonic generation efficiency on non-ferromagnetic materials. The new EMAT's magnet is narrower than the meander-line coil used in the transducer and the coil itself has an uneven distribution of conductors. The principle of the new design is informed by finite element simulations, which show that the EMAT generates Rayleigh waves more efficiently by taking advantage of both horizontal and vertical magnetic fields of the magnet simultaneously. Experimental measurements verify that the maximum amplitude of the ultrasonic signal generated by the new design of EMAT working under a pulse-echo configuration has been enhanced by 90%, when compared to conventional designs.     

Characterization of stress corrosion cracking in carbon steel using nonlinear Rayleigh surface waves

This research uses nonlinear Rayleigh surface waves to characterize stress corrosion cracking (SCC) damage in carbon steel. Cold rolled carbon steel is widely used for buried fuel pipelines; the environment surrounding these pipelines creates a mildly corrosive environment, which, in combination with an applied stress, can cause SCC. To ensure the safe operation of these structures, it is crucial that damage due to SCC be detected before their structural integrity is reduced by large cracks. In the early stages of SCC, microstructural changes such as dislocation formation and microcrack initiation occur, which have shown to considerably increase the acoustic nonlinearity of a material. These microstructural changes distort and generate higher harmonics in an initially monochromatic ultrasonic wave. This research considers four different levels of SCC induced in four separate 1018 steel specimens, a material which has a similar susceptibility to SCC as steel used for buried fuel pipelines. Then nonlinear ultrasonic measurements are performed before and after the SCC damage is induced. Nonlinear Rayleigh surface waves are utilized to detect the SCC damage that is concentrated near the material surface. The amplitudes of the fundamental and second harmonic waves are measured with contact wedge transducers at varying propagation distances to obtain the acoustic nonlinearity of the specimens as a function of SCC damage. The results show an increase in the measured acoustic nonlinearity in the early stages of SCC, indicating the feasibility of using this nonlinear ultrasonic method to detect the initiation of SCC in carbon steels.