An efficient Lamb wave-based virtual refined time-reversal method for damage localization in plates using broadband...

Area of Science:

• Structural Health Monitoring
• Non-Destructive Testing
• Wave Propagation

Background:

• Conventional virtual time-reversal (VTR) methods for damage detection can suffer from numerical errors and inefficiencies.
• Lamb wave-based structural health monitoring requires robust algorithms for accurate damage localization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a modified virtual time-reversal algorithm, termed virtual refined time-reversal method (VRTRM), for baseline signal-free damage detection.
• To enhance the efficiency and accuracy of damage localization in plate-like structures.

Main Methods:

• Utilized broadband Gaussian excitation for Lamb wave actuation and sensing.
• Developed a virtual reconstruction of signals using broadband transfer functions.
• Integrated the modified VTR algorithm into the refined time-reversal method (RTRM) framework, creating VRTRM.
• Employed damage indices (DIs) from VRTRM for probabilistic defect inspection and localization.

Main Results:

• The VRTRM effectively eliminates numerical errors associated with narrowband VTR methods.
• Demonstrated comparable accuracy to RTRM in localizing single and dual mass damage scenarios.
• Showcased superior performance over conventional VTR methods, which failed to localize damage in tested scenarios.

Conclusions:

• The proposed VRTRM offers an accurate and efficient approach for baseline signal-free damage detection in plate structures.
• VRTRM overcomes limitations of conventional VTR methods, providing reliable damage localization.
• Experimental validation confirms the efficacy of VRTRM for structural health monitoring applications.