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On-Line Corrosion Monitoring of Plate Structures Based on Guided Wave Tomography Using Piezoelectric Sensors
Jing Rao1, Madis Ratassepp2,3, Danylo Lisevych4
1School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore. jrao001@e.ntu.edu.sg.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 13, 2017
Summary
A new ultrasonic guided wave tomography (GWT) system effectively monitors corrosion in large structures. This system uses piezoelectric sensors and full waveform inversion for accurate thickness reconstruction, showing excellent agreement with measurements.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT)
- Ultrasonic Testing
Background:
- Corrosion poses significant safety and economic risks across various industries, necessitating advanced monitoring solutions.
- Traditional methods for corrosion detection may lack the precision and on-line capabilities required for large structures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce a novel ultrasonic guided wave tomography (GWT) system for real-time corrosion monitoring of plate-like structures.
- To achieve accurate thickness reconstruction of corrosion damage using dispersive guided wave modes and advanced algorithms.
Main Methods:
- Development and utilization of a GWT system with self-designed piezoelectric sensors for exciting and receiving low-frequency A0 Lamb waves.
- Application of a full waveform inversion (FWI) algorithm, leveraging dispersive wave regimes, for precise thickness mapping.
- Minimization of transducer array scattering effects on reconstruction accuracy.
Main Results:
- The GWT system demonstrated high efficiency and accuracy in continuous forced corrosion experiments.
- FWI-reconstructed thicknesses closely matched analytical predictions (Faraday's law) and laser measurements.
- Generated thickness images accurately depicted the locations and extent of actual corrosion sites.
Conclusions:
- The proposed ultrasonic GWT system offers a reliable and accurate method for on-line corrosion monitoring of large structures.
- The combination of dispersive Lamb waves and FWI provides a powerful tool for quantitative corrosion assessment.
- This technology has the potential to significantly enhance structural integrity management and reduce economic losses due to corrosion.
