Ultrasonic Imaging of Thick Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers through Pulse-Compression-Based Phased Array
The use of pulse-compression in ultrasonic non-destructive testing has assured, in various applications, a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. In this work, the technique is combined with linear phased array to improve the sensitivity and resolution in the ultrasonic imaging of hig...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-02-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/4/1508 |
| Summary: | The use of pulse-compression in ultrasonic non-destructive testing has assured, in various applications, a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio. In this work, the technique is combined with linear phased array to improve the sensitivity and resolution in the ultrasonic imaging of highly attenuating and scattering materials. A series of tests were conducted on a 60 mm thick carbon fiber reinforced polymer benchmark sample with known defects using a custom-made pulse-compression-based phased array system. Sector scan and total focusing method images of the sample were obtained with the developed system and were compared with those reconstructed by using a commercial pulse-echo phased array system. While an almost identical sensitivity was found in the near field, the pulse-compression-based system surpassed the standard one in the far-field producing a more accurate imaging of the deepest defects and of the backwall of the sample. |
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| ISSN: | 2076-3417 |