Multi-modal ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation with phased arrays

无损评估(NDE)领域关注的是对安全(不损害)的材料进行检查，以确保我们居住的结构、我们使用的机械和我们乘坐的车辆安全可靠。超声波用于医学，也被用来进行无损检测，并定位和识别危险的缺陷，如材料的裂缝。然而，这种超声波检查涉及非常复杂的电气和声学/弹性部件的组合。这些组件的建模是本研究计划的重点。具体地说，我们将开发基于计算机的超声无损检测系统模型，使用相控阵换能器和模式转换超声波。相控阵换能器允许人们以电子方式扫描部件，使检查更便宜、更快。它们还允许我们产生和接收不同类型的波，包括传统换能器无法观察到的模式转换波。拥有使用相控阵模拟这种多模式响应的能力将使我们能够开发出显著改进的超声波检测系统。直接受益者将是对飞机、管道、桥梁和核反应堆等主要结构进行检查的工程师。普通公众也将受益于那些拥有在这里开发的先进方法的工程师，以保持这些结构的安全和可靠。

The field of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) is concerned with the inspection of materials   (without harming them),in order to keep the structures we live in, the machinery we work with, the vehicles we ride in safe and reliable. Ultrasound, used in medicine, is also used to conduct NDE inspections and to locate and identify dangerous flaws such as cracks in materials. Such ultrasonic inspections, however, involve a very complex combination of electrical and acoustic/elastic components. Modeling of these components is the focus of this research program. Specifically, we will develop computer-based models of ultrasonic NDE systems that use phased array transducers and mode-converted ultrasonic waves. Phased array transducers allow one to scan a component electronically making inspections cheaper and faster.They also allow us to generate and receive waves of different types, including  mode-converted waves that are not observable by conventional transducers. Having the ability to model such multi-modal responses using phased arrays will allow us to develop significantly improved ultrasonic inspection systems. The direct beneficiaries will be the engineers who perform inspections on major structures such as aircraft, pipelines, bridges and nuclear reactors. The general public will also benefit by those engineers having the advanced methods developed here to keep those structures safe and reliable.