Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Detection of Axial Cracks in Pipes Using Focused Guided Waves

  • Published:
Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The implementation of synthetic guided wave focusing to locate axially aligned defects in pipes has been investigated. Results from both finite element computer models and experiments on real pipes are presented and the data show good agreement. Focusing is necessary to improve the reflection coefficient from axially aligned defects, as the signals are very weak. The Common Source Method (CSM) of synthetic focusing has been applied which makes it possible to apply focusing via post processing to previously collected data. The dependence of reflection coefficient on crack length was measured for both through thickness and part depth axially aligned defects, at a range of frequencies, using the torsional guided wave family. The results show that the reflection coefficient is approximately doubled when focusing is employed, compared to the sensitivity for unfocused fundamental torsional waves. However the sensitivity is still very low, so in practise this approach could only be used to find severe defects.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. BBC News: Accident shuts down power station. Internet article (2006). http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/5153024.stm

  2. Cawley, P., Lowe, M.J.S., Alleyne, D.N., Pavlakovic, B., Wilcox, P.: Practical long range guided wave testing: Applications to pipes and rail. Mater. Eval. 61(1), 66–74 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Demma, A., Cawley, P., Lowe, M., Roosenbrand, A.G., Pavlakovic, B.: The reflection of guided waves from notches in pipes: a guide for interpreting corrosion measurements. NDT E Int. 37, 167–180 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Mudge, P.J.: Field application of the teletest® long-range ultrasonic testing technique. Insight 43(2), 74–77 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Alleyne, D.N., Pavlakovic, B.N., Lowe, M.J.S., Cawley, P.: Rapid long-range inspection of chemical plant pipework using guided waves. Insight 43(2), 93–96 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Ledesma, V.M.N., Perez-Baruch, E., Demma, A., Lowe, M.J.S.: Guided wave testing of an immersed gas pipeline. Mater. Eval. 67(2), 102–115 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Alleyne, D.N., Cawley, P.: The choice of torsional or longitudinal excitation in guided wave pipe inspection. Insight 51(7), 373–377 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rose, J.L., Jiao, D., Spanner, J.: Ultrasonic guided wave NDE for piping. Mater. Eval. 54(11), 1310–1313 (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Bai, H., Shah, A.H., Popplewell, N., Datta, S.K.: Scattering of guided waves by circumferential cracks in steel pipes. J. Appl. Mech. 68, 619–631 (2001)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Ditri, J.J.: Utilization of guided elastic waves for the characterization of circumferential cracks in hollow cylinders. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 96(6), 3769–3775 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Alleyne, D.N., Lowe, M.J.S., Cawley, P.: The reflection of guided waves from circumferential notches in pipes. J. Appl. Mech. 65(3), 635–641 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Lowe, M.J.S., Alleyne, D.N., Cawley, P.: The mode conversion of a guided wave by a part-circumferential notch in a pipe. J. Appl. Mech. 65, 649–656 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Demma, A., Cawley, P., Lowe, M.J.S., Roosenbrand, A.G.: The reflection of the fundamental torsional mode from cracks and notches in pipes. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 114, 611–625 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Ratassepp, M., Fletcher, S., Lowe, M.J.S.: Scattering of the fundamental torsional mode at an axial crack in a pipe. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 127(2), 730–740 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Achenbach, J.D.: Wave Propagation in Elastic Solids, 1st edn. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, vol. 16. North-Holland, Amsterdam (1973)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  16. Silk, M.G., Bainton, K.F.: The propagation in metal tubing of ultrasonic wave modes equivalent to Lamb waves. Ultrasonics 17, 11–19 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wilcox, P., Lowe, M., Cawley, P.: The effect of dispersion on long-range inspection using ultrasonic guided waves. NDT E Int. 34(1), 1–9 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Pavlakovic, B.N., Lowe, M.J.S., Alleyne, D.N., Cawley, P.: Disperse: A general purpose program for creating dispersion curves. In: Thompson, D.O., Chimenti, D.E. (eds.) Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE 16, pp. 185–192. AIP, Plenum, New York (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Lowe, M.J.S.: Matrix techniques for modelling ultrasonic waves in multilayered media. IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 42(4), 525–542 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Mohr, W., Hőller, P.: On inspection of thin-walled tubes for transverse and longitudinal flaws by guided ultrasonic waves. IEEE Trans. Sonics Ultrason. 23(5), 369–374 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Li, J., Rose, J.L.: Implementing guided wave mode control by use of a phased transducer array. IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 49(12), 1720–1729 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Rose, J.L., Mudge, P.J.: Flexural mode focusing in a pipe. In: 8th European Conference on Non-Destructive Testing (ECNDT) (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Hayashi, T., Kawashima, K., Sun, Z., Rose, J.L.: Analysis of flexural mode focusing by a semianalytical. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 113(3), 1241–1248 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Hayashi, T., Murase, M.: Defect imaging with guided waves in a pipe. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117(4), 2134–2140 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Davies, J., Simonetti, F., Lowe, M.J.S., Cawley, P.: Review of synthetically focused guided wave imaging techniques with application to defect sizing. In: Thompson, D.O., Chimenti, D.E. (eds.) Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE 25A, pp. 142–149. AIP, New York (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Davies, J., Cawley, P.: Synthetic focusing for high resolution guided wave pipe inspection: further results and robustness studies. In: Thompson, D.O., Chimenti, D.E. (eds.) Review of Progress in Quantitative NDE 27, pp. 142–149. AIP, New York (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Davies, J., Cawley, P.: The application of synthetic focusing for imaging crack-like defects in pipelines using guided waves. IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelectr. Freq. Control 56, 759–771 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Li, J., Rose, J.L.: Natural beam focusing of non-axisymmetric guided waves in large-diameter pipes. Ultrasonics 44, 35–45 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Abaqus. Abaqus Analysis User’s Manual. Simulia, Rising Sun Mills, 166 Valley Street, Providence, RI 02909-2499, 6.5 edn. (2004). www.simulia.com

  30. Alleyne, D.N., Cawley, P.: The effect of discontinuities on the long-range propagation of Lamb waves in pipes. Proc. Inst. Mech. Eng., E J. Process Mech. Eng. 210, 217–226 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Guided Ultrasonics Ltd. 17 Doverbeck Close, Nottingham, NG15 9ER, United Kingdom (2010)

  32. Guided Ultrasonics Ltd. Wavemaker G3 Level 1 Training Pack. Guided Ultrasonics Ltd, 17 Doverbeck Close, Ravenshead, Nottingham, May 2007

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Sam Fletcher & Mike J. S. Lowe

  2. Department of Mechanics, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate tee 5, Tallinn, 19086, Estonia

    Madis Ratassepp

  3. Inspection Management, E.ON New Build and Technology, Technology Centre, Ratcliffe-on-Soar, Nottingham, NG11 0EE, UK

    Colin Brett

Authors
  1. Sam Fletcher
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mike J. S. Lowe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Madis Ratassepp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Colin Brett
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sam Fletcher.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fletcher, S., Lowe, M.J.S., Ratassepp, M. et al. Detection of Axial Cracks in Pipes Using Focused Guided Waves. J Nondestruct Eval 31, 56–64 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-011-0120-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-011-0120-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation