The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of

Diego O Cuevas

Robert J Ross

Earl A Geske

William J Nelson

Rodney C De Groot

Vyto C Malinauskas

A method for the non-destructive evaluation of the integrity of wooden members, in situ, for example, embedded in the soil, employing the reflection of an acoustic wave off of the embedded end of the wooden member. The reflection is caused by the discontinuity in acoustic properties between wood and the supporting medium. The method allows the measurement, at one end of the member, of substantially the entire length of the wooden member without its removal. The acoustic wave is monitored in time and amplitude to provide indications of sound speed and attenuation, measurements which apparently are not unduly affected by coupling losses between the wooden member and its supporting matrix. These measured values may be empirically linked in an equation providing the integrity of the wooden member.

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Madison, WI, United States of America

Diego O Cuevas