Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lock-In Signal Post-Processing Techniques in Infra-Red Thermography for Materials Structural Evaluation

  • Published:
Experimental Mechanics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper describes the potential of off-line thermographic signal processing by means of Lock-In Correlation algorithms, in order to implement structural health monitoring and stress analysis techniques. Thermal datasets acquired by infrared thermocameras are locked-in and correlated numerically with opportune reference signals, and amplitude and phase values of various harmonics retrieved by means of a Fast Fourier Transform and time averaging based filtering. This information is then processed for NDT defect probing and for evaluating the Thermoelastic Effect induced temperature changes. Two case studies in particular are discussed, implementing the proposed signal lock-in processing: a Thermoelastic Stress Analysis of a Brazilian disc under cyclic compression, and NDT of a delaminated polymer matrix composite panel. The NDT case study evidences the ability of the lock-in algorithm to analyse the response of the component to multi-frequency modulated heat waves, while both case studies demonstrate the potentials of the off-line signal treatment to enable low cost thermal setups.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Harwood N, Cummings WM (1991) Thermoelastic stress analysis. Adam Hilger IOP Publishing, Bristol

    Google Scholar 

  2. Stanley P (2008) Beginnings and early development of thermoelastic stress analysis. Strain 44(4):285–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Dulieu-Barton JM, Stanley P (1998) Development and applications of thermoelastic stress analysis. J Strain Analysis 33(2):93–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Pitarresi G, Patterson EA (2003) A review of the general theory of thermoelastic effect. J Strain Anal 38(5):405–417

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Greene RJ, Patterson EA, Rowlands RE (2008) Thermoelastic Stress Analysis in Handbook of Experimental Solid Mechanics, (ed. Sharpe W.N.Jr.) 3rd edition, Springer Publication - Chapter 26

  6. Maldague X (2003) Theory and practice of infrared technology for non-destructive testing. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ibarra-Castanedo C (2005) Quantitative subsurface defect evaluation by Pulsed Phase thermography: Depth Retrieval with the Phase. PhD thesis. Facultè des sciences et de Gènie Universitè Laval Quèbec

  8. Breitenstein O, Warta W, Langenkamp M (2010) Lock-in Thermography, Springer, 2nd Ed

  9. Pitarresi G, Galietti U (2010) A quantitative analysis of the thermoelastic effect in CFRP composite materials. Strain 46:446–459

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Pitarresi G, Conti A, Galietti U (2005) Investigation on the influence of the surface resin rich layer on the thermoelastic signal from different composite laminate lay-ups. Appl. Mech. Mater. 3/4:167–172

    Google Scholar 

  11. Mountain DS, Webber JMB (1978) Stress pattern analysis by thermal emission (SPATE). Proc Soc Photo Opt Inst Eng 164:189–196

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ryall TG, Wong AK (1995) Design of a focal plane array thermographic system for stress analysis. Exp Mech 35:144–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lesniak JR, Boyce BR (1994) A High-Speed Differential Thermographic Camera. In proceedings of the SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics, Baltimore, Maryland, 1994:491–499

  14. Brémond P, Potet P (2000) Application of Lockin Thermography to Measure Stresses and to Locate Damages in Materials and Structures. QIRT5 Conferences, Reims, France

  15. Brémond P, Potet P (2001) Lock-in thermography: a tool to analyze and locate thermomechanical mechanisms in materials and structures. Thermosense XXIII -. Proc SPIE 4360:560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Haldorsen LM (1998) Thermoelastic stress analysis system developed for industrial applications, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Aalborg, Institute of mechanical engineering, 1998

  17. Audenino AL, Crupi V, Zanetti EM (2004) Thermoelastic and elastoplastic effects measured by means of a standard thermocamera. Expl Techqs 28:23–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Wu D, Busse G (1998) Lock-in thermography for non-destructive evaluation of materials. Rev Gen Therm 37:693–703

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Carlomagno G M, Berardi PG (1976) Unsteady thermotopography in non-destructive testing. Proc. 3rd Infrared Information Exchange, Warren C ed., St. Louis/USA, 24.-26. August 1976:33–40

  20. Beaudoin JL, Merienne E, Danjoux R, Egee M (1985) Numerical system for infrared scanners and application to the subsurface control of materials by photothermal radiometry. Infrared Technol Appl SPIE 590:287–292

    Google Scholar 

  21. Kuo PK, Ahmed T, Jin H, Thomas RL (1988) Phase-locked image acquisition in thermography. SPIE 1004:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  22. Busse G, Wu D, Karpen W (1992) Thermal wave imaging with phase sensitive modulated thermography. J Appl Phys 71:3962–3965

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Liu J, Wang Y, Dai J (2010) Research on thermal wave processing of lock-in thermography based on analysing image sequences for NDT. Infrared Phys Technol 53:348–357

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  24. Krapez JC (1999) Compared Performance Algorithms Used for Modulation Thermography. Quantitative Infrared Thermography 4 (QIRT’98), Lodz, Poland, 7–10 September 1998:148–153

  25. Kaminski A, Jouglar J, Mergui M, Jourlin Y, Bouille A, Vuillermoz PL, Laugier A (1998) Infrared characterization of hot spots in solar cells with high precision due to signal treatment processing. Solar Energy Mat Solar Cells 51:233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Dillenz A, Wu D, Breitrück K, Busse G (2000) Lock-in thermography for depth resolved defect characterization. In Proceedings of the 15th WCNDT, Rome, Italy, 15–21 October 2000

  27. Olbrycht R, Wiecek B, Gralewicz G, Swiatczak T, Owczarek G (2007) Comparison of Fourier and wavelet analyses for defect detection in lock-in and pulse phase thermography. QIRT Journal 4(2):219–232

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Mulaveesala R, Tuli S (2006) Theory of frequency modulated thermal wave imaging for nondestructive subsurface defect detection. Appl Phys Lett 89:191913

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Mulaveesala R, Vaddi JS, Singh P (2008) Pulse compression approach to infrared non-destructive characterization. Rev Sci Instrum 79:094901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Tabatabaei N, Mandelis A (2009) Thermal-wave radar: a novel subsurface imaging modality with extended depthresolution dynamic range. Rev Sci Instrum 80:034902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Pitarresi G (2012) Implementation of active infrared NDT techniques using long square heating pulses. Struct Durab Health Monit 8:149–175

    Google Scholar 

  32. Tabatabaei N, Mandelis A, Amaechi BT (2011) Thermophotonic radar imaging: An emissivity-normalized modality with advantages over phase lock-in thermography. Appl Phys Lett 98:163706

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Chatterjee K, Tuli S, Pickering SG, Almond DP (2011) A comparison of the pulsed, lock-in and frequency modulated thermography nondestructive evaluation techniques. NDT and E Int 44(7):655–667

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Pitarresi G, D’Acquisto L, Siddiolo AM (2008) Thermoelastic stress analysis by means of an infrared scanner and a two-dimensional fast fourier transform-based lock-in technique. J Strain Anal Eng Des 43(6):493–506

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Pitarresi G, Normanno A, D’Acquisto L (2009) Thermoelastic stress analysis of a 2D stress field using a single detector infrared scanner and lock-in filtering. J Phys Conf Ser. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/181/1/012075

    Google Scholar 

  36. Pitarresi G (2012) Implementation of a fast and low cost IR-NDT technique by means of a Square Pulse Modulated Lock-In Thermography. In: E-book Proceedings - 11th International Conference on Quantitative InfraRed Thermography (QIRT11). Naples (IT), 11–14 June 2012, ID 343

  37. Clarkson P, Esward TJ, Harris PM, Smith AA, Smith IM (2010) Software simulation of a lock-in amplifier with application to the evaluation of uncertainties in real measuring systems. Meas Sci Technol 21(4):045106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Leis J, Martin P, Buttsworth D (2012) Simplified digital lock-in amplifier algorithm. Electronics Letters 48(5)

  39. Stanley P (2011) On the Isopachic Contours in the Brazilian Disc Specimen. Meas Sci Technol 22(8). doi:10.1088/0957-0233/22/8/085705

Download references

Acknowledgments

This research was partly funded under the University of Palermo grant FFR 2012/13 (ATE-0584).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, Gestionale, Informatica, Meccanica (DICGIM), University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128, Palermo, Italy

    G. Pitarresi

Authors
  1. G. Pitarresi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Pitarresi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pitarresi, G. Lock-In Signal Post-Processing Techniques in Infra-Red Thermography for Materials Structural Evaluation. Exp Mech 55, 667–680 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-013-9827-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-013-9827-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation