VISUALIZATION OF GUIDED WAVE PROPAGATION WITH LASER DOPPLER VIBROMETER SCANNING ON CURVED SURFACES

Abstract

In guided wave inspection for pipes, defect characterization is performed by echoes from defects. However, since detected signals become very complex due to mode conversion and multiple reflections, wave mechanics in a pipe with defects are not well studied. In this study, therefore, visualization technique for guided waves in a pipe is developed. In order to visualize guided wave propagation in a pipe, we need to scan an ultrasonic probe and measure ultrasonic waves at many points on a surface of a pipe. Position and posture of a laser doppler vibrometer are controlled by a robot arm, and ultrasonic vibration is detected at arbitrary points from arbitrary laser beam direction. Using the laser scanning technique, reflected guided waves from a shallow round defect was observed in the visualization results. From the defect, reflected waves propagated spirally in the oblique direction. From the view point of guided wave, the spiral waves were very high order modes that have not been measured in guided wave inspection. This result shows that such high order guided wave modes should be useful for defect characterization as well as low order modes.