The reflection of ultrasound from partially contacting rough surfaces

Ultrasound is commonly used to detect and size cracks in a range of engineering components. Modeling techniques are well established for smooth and open cracks. However, real cracks are often rough (relative to the ultrasonic wavelength) and closed due to compressive stress. This paper describes an investigation into the combined effects of crack face roughness and closure on ultrasonic detectability. A contact model has been used to estimate the size and shape of scatterers (voids) at the interface of these rough surfaces when loaded. The response of such interfaces to excitation with a longitudinal ultrasonic pulse over a wide range of frequencies has been investigated. The interaction of ultrasound with this scattering interface is predicted using a finite-element model and good agreement with experiments on rough surfaces is shown. Results are shown for arrays of equi-sized scatterers and a distribution of scatterer sizes. It is shown that the response at high frequencies is dependent on the size, shape, and distribution of the scatterers. It is also shown that the finite-element results depart from the mass-spring model predictions when the product of wave number and scatterer half-width is greater than 0.4.