Laser ultrasonic diagnostics of residual stress

Ultrasonic NDE is one of the most promising methods for non-destructive diagnostics of residual stresses. However the relative change of sound velocity, which is directly proportional to applied stress, is extremely small. An initial stress of 100 MPa produces the result of deltaV/V approximately 10(-4). Therefore measurements must be performed with high precision. The required accuracy can be achieved with laser-exited ultrasonic transients. Radiation from a Nd-YAG laser (pulse duration 7 ns, pulse energy 100 microJ) was absorbed by the surface of the sample. The exited ultrasonic transients resembled the form of laser pulses. A specially designed optoacoustic transducer was used both for the excitation and detecting of the ultrasonic pulses. The wide frequency band of the piezodetector made it possible to achieve the time-of-flight measurements with an accuracy of about 0.5 ns. This technique was used for measuring of plane residual stress in welds and for in-depth testing of subsurface residual stresses in metals. Plane stress distribution for welded metallic plates of different thicknesses (2-8 mm) and the subsurface stress distribution for titanium and nickel alloys were obtained. The results of conventional testing are in good agreement with the laser ultrasonic method.