Detection and monitoring of cracks and fractures using nonlinear response to multimode acoustic signals

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for assessment of microstructural defects in a large structure. Third order elastic constants engender nonlinear excitation of acoustic modes particularly at points of local stiffness changes or stress concentration such as ends of microcracks. A broadband multimode acoustic signal is transmitted through an interrogation region from a first transducer, whereby a second transducer receives an acoustic signal containing linear and nonlinear components. Linear terms are canceled, and a magnitude of the nonlinear acoustic response is measured using time-resolved spectral analysis, to determine a coefficient for acoustic nonlinearity of the interrogation region that serves as a qualitative or quantitative representation of microcrack damage. Broadband signals avoid mode-specific effects such as shadowing or phase mismatch. Damage location can be identified by region or time-of-flight. Portable or dedicated embodiments can be deployed on a wide range of structures of arbitrary shape.