Rapid Imaging of Large Steel Plate Structures Using Guided Waves

Abstract

The use of guided waves in NDE applications is widespread [1] and can be grouped into three categories according to the propagation distances involved. Long-range applications typically involve one-dimensional waveguide structures such as pipes [2] where the propagation distances are in the order of tens or even hundreds of metres. Plate inspection, where the propagation distance is a few metres, falls into the category of medium-range applications. Guided wave plate inspection in the form of continuous line scanning between two transducers is ideally suited to continuous monitoring of large areas of, for example, steel plate in rolling mills [3]. However, there has been very little commercial exploitation of guided waves for inspecting large areas of plate-like structures from a single location in a manner analogous to that employed in pipe and rail inspection.