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Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition
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Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Acoustics and Vibrations".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2026 | Viewed by 2630

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mário João S. F. Santos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-290 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: ultrasonic non-destructive characterization of materials; ultrasonic guided waves; composite inspection; biologic tissue characterization by ultrasounds
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue presents new ideas and experimental results related to applications of ultrasound non-destructive testing (UNDT). The use of ultrasound is an important technique in NDT, being largely used in industrial contexts. Metal and composite materials used in critical applications, such as aerospace manufacturing, require appropriate NDT to guarantee safety. Thus, research contributions on the latest R&D achievements regarding ultrasonic non-destructive testing and evaluation, as well as the development of new equipment, analyses, and approaches to non-destructive measurements, are encouraged for submission.

Authors are encouraged to submit contributions in any of the following areas related UNDT:

  • Ultrasonic non-destructive testing/ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation;
  • Ultrasonic-based structural health monitoring and damage detection;
  • Material characterization;
  • NDT of composites;
  • Ultrasound phased arrays;
  • Guided waves;
  • Process monitoring;
  • Ultrasound sensors, transducers, and sensor networks;
  • Instruments, devices, and systems for ultrasound research and applications;
  • Ultrasound in civil, aerospace, and geological applications.

Dr. Mário João S. F. Santos
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ultrasound in civil, aerospace, and geological materials
  • ultrasonic NDT
  • ultrasonic NDE
  • ultrasonic-based SHM
  • material characterization
  • ultrasound phased arrays
  • guided waves
  • ultrasound transducers

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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32 pages, 6579 KB  
Article
Multidirectional Ultrasound Propagation Velocity as a Predictor of Open Porosity and Water Absorption in Volcanic Rocks: Traditional Regression and Machine Learning
by José A. Valido, José M. Cáceres and Luís Sousa
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3225; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073225 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 226
Abstract
Ultrasound propagation velocity was investigated as a non-destructive predictor of open porosity (ρ0) and water absorption (Aw) in volcanic rocks (two ignimbrites, a trachyte, and a basalt). Six velocity measurements were obtained under dry and saturated conditions [...] Read more.
Ultrasound propagation velocity was investigated as a non-destructive predictor of open porosity (ρ0) and water absorption (Aw) in volcanic rocks (two ignimbrites, a trachyte, and a basalt). Six velocity measurements were obtained under dry and saturated conditions along three orthogonal directions, and the dry Z-axis velocity was selected as the reference univariate predictor because it provided the highest explanatory power and the best cross-validated performance among the tested ultrasound variables. Four univariate regressions (linear, exponential, power law, and second-order polynomial), parametric multivariable linear regression, and five machine learning regressors were compared using lithology-stratified 5-fold cross-validation, grouping both ignimbrites as a single lithology. Univariate models showed moderate predictive capability for ρ0 (cross-validated coefficient of determination R2≈ 0.506 to 0.580), whereas Aw was captured more accurately, with the power law model reaching 0.923 ± 0.008. Multivariable linear regression improved ρ0 when lithology was included (0.803 ± 0.084), while changes for Aw were small. The highest accuracy was achieved by ensemble tree methods: extremely randomized trees with lithology yielded 0.949 ± 0.015 for ρ0 (root mean square error 2.16 ± 0.38 percentage points), and Gradient Boosting with lithology yielded 0.976 ± 0.006 for Aw (0.80 ± 0.12 percentage points). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition)
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18 pages, 32079 KB  
Article
Quantitative Assessment of Concrete Pavement Subsurface Quality Using Ultrasonic Tomography: Development and Initial Validation of a Multi-Metric Scoring System
by Jorge E. Olavarría, Megan M. Darnell, Mason Smetana, Julie M. Vandenbossche and Lev Khazanovich
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(5), 2233; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16052233 - 26 Feb 2026
Viewed by 336
Abstract
Linear array ultrasonic devices such as the MIRA A1040 are highly effective at detecting subsurface defects in concrete; however, interpretation of their data is time-consuming, subjective, and requires specialized expertise. This paper proposes a quantitative signal-processing framework that computes objective subsurface-quality Multi-Metric Scores [...] Read more.
Linear array ultrasonic devices such as the MIRA A1040 are highly effective at detecting subsurface defects in concrete; however, interpretation of their data is time-consuming, subjective, and requires specialized expertise. This paper proposes a quantitative signal-processing framework that computes objective subsurface-quality Multi-Metric Scores derived from ultrasonic tomography B-scans. The framework integrates the Signal-to-Background Ratio, Energy Concentration Ratio, and Spatial Dispersion into a composite 0–100 scale. Laboratory testing demonstrated clear discrimination between control samples (scores 79–100) and specimens with intentionally placed voids (8–38) or honeycombing defects (6–35). Field validation confirmed similar separation using an acceptance threshold of 70. The proposed scoring methodology offers a practical, automated approach for real-time quality assessment of concrete pavements under realistic field construction conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition)
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18 pages, 2162 KB  
Article
Quantifying Thermoset Cure State During Fabrication of a Laminated Composite Using Ultrasonic Waveform Analysis
by Savannah M. Rose, Jackson C. Wilkins, Trevor J. Fleck and David A. Jack
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(3), 1473; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16031473 - 1 Feb 2026
Viewed by 426
Abstract
Fiber-reinforced laminates composed of a thermoset matrix have seen widespread use in industries such as the aerospace, wind power, and automotive industries, due to their strength-to-weight ratios and ease of formability. For optimal performance, the instantaneous cure state must be sufficient such that [...] Read more.
Fiber-reinforced laminates composed of a thermoset matrix have seen widespread use in industries such as the aerospace, wind power, and automotive industries, due to their strength-to-weight ratios and ease of formability. For optimal performance, the instantaneous cure state must be sufficient such that the component will not deform during or after molding, a state that can vary based on many manufacturing-related factors. Thus, monitoring the cure process non-destructively in situ is key to manufacturing composite laminates to achieve the as-designed properties while balancing the cycle time reduction. The current work presents a pulse-echo ultrasound method to correlate the acoustic waveform to the thermoset resin cure state and the instantaneous structural properties, specifically the resin storage and loss moduli. This latter information provides a fabricator knowledge of when a part can be successfully demolded, allowing for optimizing part cycle times. The present paper provides the results for the neat resin specimen and fiberglass specimen impregnated with the same resin system. The results provide a direct correlation between the acoustic and the viscoelastic properties. Interestingly, it is noted that there is a direct correlation between the peak signal attenuation and the peak gelation of the material, thus providing a means to predictively schedule the demolding time while maintaining proper curing cycles. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition)
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15 pages, 3903 KB  
Article
Integrated Assessment of Coating-Steel Substrate Adhesion—Comparison of Mechanical and Ultrasonic Methods
by Dariusz Ulbrich, Jakub Jezierski, Piotr Banas, Dariusz Bartkowski, Aneta Bartkowska and Zbigniew Strumiński
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(17), 9230; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15179230 - 22 Aug 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 970
Abstract
Adhesive coatings, including car paints and car putties, have found application in the construction of motor vehicles. This article contains the results of mechanical and ultrasonic tests of the adhesion of the car putty coating to a steel substrate. The main objective of [...] Read more.
Adhesive coatings, including car paints and car putties, have found application in the construction of motor vehicles. This article contains the results of mechanical and ultrasonic tests of the adhesion of the car putty coating to a steel substrate. The main objective of this article is to determine the correlation between mechanical adhesion and the ultrasonic measure of adhesion—the reflection coefficient |r|. The results indicate that with the increase in the value of the coefficient |r|, the mechanical adhesion of the coating to the substrate decreases. The highest average mechanical adhesion of the coating to the substrate was obtained for sandblasted samples and was 2.74 MPa, corresponding to a coefficient reflection value of 0.71. The test results have an important application aspect and may be useful at the stage of assessing the adhesion of adhesive coatings in a non-destructive manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition)
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Review

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24 pages, 6552 KB  
Review
Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation of Welded Steel Infrastructure: Techniques, Advances, and Applications
by Elsie Lappin, Bishal Silwal, Saman Hedjazi and Hossein Taheri
Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(7), 3206; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16073206 - 26 Mar 2026
Viewed by 267
Abstract
Welding is a critical joining process in civil and transportation infrastructure, enabling the fabrication of complex steel structural systems used in bridges, buildings, and other essential infrastructures. Despite strict adherence to established welding codes and standards, such as AWS D1.1 and AASHTO/AWS D1.5, [...] Read more.
Welding is a critical joining process in civil and transportation infrastructure, enabling the fabrication of complex steel structural systems used in bridges, buildings, and other essential infrastructures. Despite strict adherence to established welding codes and standards, such as AWS D1.1 and AASHTO/AWS D1.5, welding flaws and service-induced defects can occur in welded components. Cause of defects and their structural impact, along with detection, sizing, and localization of these anomalies and flaws, are crucial for adequate maintenance, repair, or replacement planning without compromising the functionality of in-service components. Among available NDT techniques, ultrasonic testing (UT) remains one of the most widely adopted methods of weld inspection due to its depth of penetration, sensitivity to internal defects, and suitability for field deployment. Recent advancements in ultrasonic technologies, particularly Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT), along with its emerging approaches such as Full Matrix Capture (FMC) and the Total Focusing Method (TFM), have significantly enhanced inspection accuracy, repeatability, and interpretability. These techniques enable flexile beam steering, multi-angle interrogation, and improved imaging of complex geometries. This paper presents a comprehensive review of PAUT for the inspection of welded steel infrastructure adhering to the recommendations and requirements of the relevant codes and standards, synthesizing the current literature on PAUT principles, wave modes, probe configurations, and data acquisition strategies. Emphasis is placed on the practical implementation of PAUT in civil infrastructure inspection, its advantages over conventional NDT methods, and its potential to support informed decisions related to quality acceptance, repair, and long-term maintenance planning. This paper concludes by identifying current challenges and future research directions for advanced ultrasonic inspection of welded steel structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Ultrasonic Non-Destructive Testing—Second Edition)
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