• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.540-544
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• 2012

Like the phase array based ultrasonic system, complicated electronics has been used for real time signal processing in the magnetostrictive long-range ultrasonic testing(LRUT) system. This study shows that the software approach including the phase compensation, noise filtering and waveform transformation takes advantage rather than the previous hardware approach. Furthermore, it is possible for the software approach to be able more flexible and efficient realtime signal processing. These results will contribute to a cost-effective LRUT system and analysis of the inspection data.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.227-239
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• 2020

Despite proven effectiveness and accuracy in laboratories, the existing damage assessment based on guided ultrasonic waves (GUWs) or acoustic emission (AE) confronts challenges when extended to real-world structural health monitoring (SHM) for railway tracks. Central to the concerns are the extremely complex signal appearance due to highly dispersive and multimodal wave features, restriction on transducer installations, and severe contaminations of ambient noise. It remains a critical yet unsolved problem along with recent attempts to implement SHM in bourgeoning high-speed railway (HSR). By leveraging authors' continued endeavours, an SHM framework, based on actively generated diffuse ultrasonic waves (DUWs) and a benchmark-free condition contrast algorithm, has been developed and deployed via an all-in-one SHM system. Miniaturized lead zirconate titanate (PZT) wafers are utilized to generate and acquire DUWs in long-range railway tracks. Fatigue cracks in the tracks show unique contact behaviours under different conditions of external loads and further disturb DUW propagation. By contrast DUW propagation traits, fatigue cracks in railway tracks can be characterised quantitatively and the holistic health status of the tracks can be evaluated in a real-time manner. Compared with GUW- or AE-based methods, the DUW-driven inspection philosophy exhibits immunity to ambient noise and measurement uncertainty, less dependence on baseline signals, use of significantly reduced number of transducers, and high robustness in atrocious engineering conditions. Conformance tests are performed on HSR tracks, in which the evolution of fatigue damage is monitored continuously and quantitatively, demonstrating effectiveness, adaptability, reliability and robustness of DUW-driven SHM towards HSR applications.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.75-82
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• 2007

As one of the main support systems, rock bolts play a crucial role in the reinforcement of tunnels. Numerical and experimental studies using a transmission method of ultrasonic guided waves are performed to evaluate the integrity of rock bolts encapsulated by grouting paste. Numerical simulations using "DISPERSE" are carried out for the selection of the optimal experimental setup, i.e. non-destructive testing (NDT) system of the rock bolt. Based on results of the numerical simulation, the calculated frequency range for NDT testing is between 20kHz and 70kHz with the first longitudinal L(1) mode. Laboratory transmission tests are performed by attaching the piezo electric sensor at the tip of the rock bolt before embedding. Both of analytical and experimental results show that the amplitude of signals as well as the wave velocity increases with increase in the defect ratio of grouting paste. The defect in grouting paste means that the space around the rock bolt is not fully filled with the grouting paste. Experimental results also show that the increase of the wave velocity is more sensitive to the defect ratio increase than that of the amplitude. This study demonstrates that the transmission technique of ultrasonic guided waves may be a valuable tool in the evaluation of the rock bolt integrity.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.32-37
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• 2010

This study presents the attenuation characteristics of the first guided longitudinal wave mode propagating in water-filled, buried steel pipes in order to investigate the effects of soil saturation and compaction on the attenuation patterns. For numerical calculation of attenuation, 10 different combinations of S-wave velocity, P-wave velocity, and soil densities were considered. From the attenuation dispersion curves, which were obtained using Disperse software, we determined that the attenuation decreases as saturation increases, whereas it increases as compaction increases. Over the frequency range from 0.2 to 0.4 MHz, the first longitudinal wave mode has attenuations that are relatively lower than for other ranges, is faster than the first flexural wave mode, and is sensitive to defects aligned in the axial direction. Hence, the first longitudinal wave mode over the mentioned frequency range would be the proper choice for long-range buried pipelines that transport water.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.1221-1229
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• 2022

In this work, the guided wave de-bonding area-detecting technique was studied for application to containment liner plates in nuclear power plant areas. To apply this technique, an appropriate Lamb wave mode, symmetric and longitudinal dominance, was verified by the frequency shifting technique. The S0 2.7 MHz mm Lamb wave mode was chosen to realize quantitative experimental results and their visualization. Results of the bulk wave, longitudinal wave mode, and comparison experiments indicate that the wave mode was able to distinguish between the de-bonded and bonded areas. Similar to the bulk wave cases, the bonded region could be distinguished from the de-bonded region using the Lamb wave approach. The Lamb wave technique results showed significant correlation to the de-bonding area. As the de-bonding area increased, the Lamb wave energy attenuation effect decreased, which was a prominent factor in the realization of quantitative tomographic visualization. The feasibility of tomographic visualization was studied via the application of Lamb waves. The reconstruction algorithm for the probabilistic inspection of damage (RAPID) technique was applied to the containment liner plate to verify and visualize the de-bonding condition. The results obtained using the tomography image indicated that the Lamb wave-based RAPID algorithm was capable of delineating debonding areas.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.69-72
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• 2013

In long-range ultrasonic testing, a phased array probe composed of multiple identical transducers with an uniform interval of one quarter wavelength is usually used for the transmission or reception directivity control. This paper shows that the propagation directions of individual echoes can be identified in real time by displaying the inputs of a process for summing the constitution reception signals after compensating the phase difference due to the transducer interval, together with the output of the process. A constructive interference of the constitution echoes indicates a forward direction echo propagating along an intended direction while a destructive interference implies a reverse direction echo propagating along the direction opposite to the intended one.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.267-282
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• 2005

This work describes ongoing development of an embedded sensor system for the early detection and prevention of deterioration of reinforcing steel tendons within reinforced concrete. These devices will evaluate the condition of the steel tendon using ultrasonic techniques and then wirelessly transmit this data to the outside world without human intervention. The ultrasonic transducers and the interpretation of the sensed signals that allow detection and prognosis of tendon condition are detailed. Electrical characterization of concrete mixtures used in bridge construction is conducted and a wideband microstrip antenna is designed and fabricated to operate between 2.4 and 2.5 GHz when embedded in such a medium. Simulations and measurements of the embedded antenna element are presented. Transceiver selection and implementation are discussed as well as future work in operational protocols, sensor networking, and power sources. By implementing commercially available off-the-shelf components whenever possible, these devices have the potential to save millions of dollars a year in evaluation, repair and replacement of reinforced concrete.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

The guided wave has been widely employed to characterize thin plates and layered media. The dispersion curves of phase and group velocities are essential for the quantitative application of guided waves. In the present work, a fully automated system for the measurement of backward radiation of LLW has been developed. The specimen moves in two dimensional plane as well as in angular rotation. The signals of backward radiation of LLW were measured from an elastic plate in which specific modes of Lamb wave were strongly generated. Phase velocity of the corresponding modes was determined from the incident angle. The generated Lamb waves propagated forward and backward with the leakage of energy into water. Backward radiated LLW was detected by the same transducer and its frequency components were analyzed to extract the related information to the dispersion curves. The dispersion curves of phase velocity were measured by varying the incident angle. Moving the specimen in the linear direction of LLW propagation, group velocity was determined by measuring the transit time shift in the ultrasonic waveform.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.341-347
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• 2004

In order to inspect the piping effectively, one of the important components in the facility of power plants, the ultrasonic guided wave was generated by a tomb transducer and was received in a non-contact fashion by using an air-coupled transducer. The guided wave modes that ran be generated by the comb transducer in piping are predicted from the theoretical dispersion curves and the element spacing of a comb transducer. Moreover, to receive the specific modes, the receiving angle of the air-coupled transducer is calculated from Snell's law between the phase velocities of guided waves and the sound velocity of air. The guided wave modes obtained in experiments are identified from the result of time-frequency analysis such as wavelet transform and two-dimensional fast Fourier transform.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-31
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• 2014

This paper describes a tomographic imaging technique for evaluating the thickness reduction of a plate-like structure using a noncontact sensor network based on an electromagnetic acoustic transducer that generates shear horizontal plate waves. Because this technique is based on the effect of mode cutoff and time of flight of guided waves caused by a change in thickness, the tomographic image provides information on the presence of defects in the structure. To verify the performance of the method, artificial defects with various thickness reduction ratios were machined in an aluminum plate, and the tomographic imaging results are reported. The results show that the generated tomographic image displays the thickness reductions and can identify their locations. Therefore, the proposed technique has good potential as a tool for health monitoring of the integrity of plate-like structures.