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Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing

A special issue of Sensors (ISSN 1424-8220). This special issue belongs to the section "Fault Diagnosis & Sensors".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 April 2024) | Viewed by 6793

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Applied Physics, Valencia Polytechnic University, 46022 València, Spain
Interests: acoustics materials; acoustic lenses; finite elements method; topology, geometric parametrical and translation optimisation; sound propagation in complex media; composite materials; US material characterisation; medical US applications; modelling ultrasonic devices; ultrasonic NDT
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Physics, Valencia Polytechnic University, 46022 València, Spain
Interests: acoustics materials; acoustic lenses; finite elements method; topology, geometric parametrical and translation optimisation; sound propagation in complex media; composite materials; US material characterisation; medical US applications; modelling ultrasonic devices; ultrasonic NDT

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Applied Physics, Valencia Polytechnic University, 46022 València, Spain
Interests: acoustics materials; acoustic lenses; finite elements method; topology, geometric parametrical and translation optimisation; sound propagation in complex media; composite materials; US material characterisation; medical US applications; modelling ultrasonic devices; ultrasonic NDT

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We would like to present the launch of a Special Issue of the MDPI journal Sensors devoted to “Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing”.

The applications of ultrasonic sensors are extremely varied, ranging from their use in the verification of trees in poor condition, owing to their non-invasive qualities, to the production of microfluidic movement by means of slightly focused acoustic waves. They have found broad appeal across diverse disciplines and applications, from being employed as sensors for guiding and checking for industrial and non-industrial non-destructive testing, to biological, medical, and food industry applications.

This Special Issue aims to highlight recent advances in the modelling and development of ultrasound devices and materials. Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Ultrasonic devices
  • HIFU transducer(s)
  • Non-destructive testing, material characterization
  • Photonic nanojet
  • Ultrasonic imaging and visualization
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible materials
  • Medical and biomedical ultrasonic sensors
  • Biological ultrasonic sensors
  • Food characterization ultrasonic sensors

Dr. Sergio Castiñeira Ibáñez
Dr. Daniel Tarrazó-Serrano
Prof. Dr. Constanza Rubio Michavila
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Sensors 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 2600 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.

Published Papers (10 papers)

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20 pages, 79968 KiB  
Article
In Situ Non-Destructive Stiffness Assessment of Fiber Reinforced Composite Plates Using Ultrasonic Guided Waves
by Maarten Adams, Arnaud Huijer, Christos Kassapoglou, Johannes A. A. Vaders and Lotfollah Pahlavan
Sensors 2024, 24(9), 2747; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24092747 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 347
Abstract
The multimodal and dispersive character of ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) offers the potential for non-destructive evaluation of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials. In this study, a methodology for in situ stiffness assessment of FRCs using UGWs is introduced. The proposed methodology involves a comparison [...] Read more.
The multimodal and dispersive character of ultrasonic guided waves (UGW) offers the potential for non-destructive evaluation of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials. In this study, a methodology for in situ stiffness assessment of FRCs using UGWs is introduced. The proposed methodology involves a comparison between measured wave speeds of the fundamental symmetric and antisymmetric guided wave modes with a pre-established dataset of UGW speeds and translation of them to corresponding stiffness properties, i.e., ABD-components, in an inverse manner. The dispersion relations of guided waves have been calculated using the semi-analytical finite element method. First, the performance of the proposed methodology has been assessed numerically. It has been demonstrated that each of the independent ABD-components of the considered laminate can be approximated with an error lower than 10.4% compared to its actual value. The extensional and bending stiffness properties can be approximated within an average error of 3.6% and 9.0%, respectively. Secondly, the performance of the proposed methodology has been assessed experimentally. This experimental assessment has been performed on a glass fiber-reinforced composite plate and the results were compared to mechanical tensile and four-point bending tests on coupons cut from the plate. Larger differences between the estimated ABD-components according to UGW and mechanical testing were observed. These differences were partly attributed to the variation in material properties across the test plate and the averaging of properties over the measurement area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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19 pages, 7240 KiB  
Article
Rail Flaw Detection via Kolmogorov Entropy of Chaotic Oscillator Based on Ultrasonic Guided Waves
by Ziyan Zeng, Jing Wu, Mingfang Zheng and Hongwei Ma
Sensors 2024, 24(9), 2730; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24092730 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 316
Abstract
Ultrasonic guided wave (UGW) inspection is an emerging non-destructive testing(NDT) technique for rail flaw detection, where weak UGW signals under strong noise backgrounds are difficult to detect. In this study, a UGW signal identification model based on a chaotic oscillator is established. The [...] Read more.
Ultrasonic guided wave (UGW) inspection is an emerging non-destructive testing(NDT) technique for rail flaw detection, where weak UGW signals under strong noise backgrounds are difficult to detect. In this study, a UGW signal identification model based on a chaotic oscillator is established. The approach integrates the UGW response into the critical state of the Duffing system to serve as a disturbance control variable. By evaluating the system’s motion state before and after introducing the UGW response, identification of UGW signals can be realized. Thus, the parameters defining the critical state of Duffing oscillators are determined by Ke. Moreover, an electromagnetic transducer was specifically devised to enable unidirectional excitation for UGWs targeted at both the rail base and rail head. Experimental studies showed that the proposed methodology effectively detected and located a 0.46 mm notch at the rail base and a 1.78 mm notch at the rail head. Furthermore, Ke was directly proportional to the notch size, which could be used as a quantitative index to characterize the rail flaw. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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12 pages, 6925 KiB  
Article
A Dual-Mode Surface Acoustic Wave Delay Line for the Detection of Ice on 64°-Rotated Y-Cut Lithium Niobate
by Philipp Schulmeyer, Manfred Weihnacht and Hagen Schmidt
Sensors 2024, 24(7), 2292; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24072292 - 4 Apr 2024
Viewed by 533
Abstract
Ice accumulation on infrastructure poses severe safety risks and economic losses, necessitating effective detection and monitoring solutions. This study introduces a novel approach employing surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors, known for their small size, wireless operation, energy self-sufficiency, and retrofit capability. Utilizing a [...] Read more.
Ice accumulation on infrastructure poses severe safety risks and economic losses, necessitating effective detection and monitoring solutions. This study introduces a novel approach employing surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors, known for their small size, wireless operation, energy self-sufficiency, and retrofit capability. Utilizing a SAW dual-mode delay line device on a 64°-rotated Y-cut lithium niobate substrate, we demonstrate a solution for combined ice detection and temperature measurement. In addition to the shear-horizontal polarized leaky SAW, our findings reveal an electrically excitable Rayleigh-type wave in the X+90° direction on the same cut. Experimental results in a temperature chamber confirm capability for reliable differentiation between liquid water and ice loading and simultaneous temperature measurements. This research presents a promising advancement in addressing safety concerns and economic losses associated with ice accretion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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15 pages, 16953 KiB  
Article
Optimal Design of Sparse Matrix Phased Array Using Simulated Annealing for Volumetric Ultrasonic Imaging with Total Focusing Method
by Dmitry Olegovich Dolmatov and Vadim Yurevich Zhvyrblya
Sensors 2024, 24(6), 1856; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24061856 - 14 Mar 2024
Viewed by 588
Abstract
The total focusing method (TFM) is often considered to be the ‘gold standard’ for ultrasonic imaging in the field of nondestructive testing. The use of matrix phased arrays as probes allows for high-resolution volumetric TFM imaging. Conventional TFM imaging involves the use of [...] Read more.
The total focusing method (TFM) is often considered to be the ‘gold standard’ for ultrasonic imaging in the field of nondestructive testing. The use of matrix phased arrays as probes allows for high-resolution volumetric TFM imaging. Conventional TFM imaging involves the use of full matrix capture (FMC) for ultrasonic signals acquisition, but in the case of a matrix phased array, this approach is associated with a huge volume of data to be acquired and processed. This severely limits the frame rate of volumetric imaging with 2D probes and necessitates the use of high-end equipment. Thus, the aim of this research was to develop a novel design method for determining the optimal sparse 2D probe configuration for specific conditions of ultrasonic imaging. The developed approach is based on simulated annealing and involves implementing the solution of the sparse matrix phased array layout optimization problem. In order to implement simulated annealing for the aforementioned task, its parameters were set, the acceptance function was introduced, and the approaches were proposed to compute beam directivity diagrams of sparse matrix phased arrays in TFM imaging. Experimental studies have shown that the proposed approach provides high-quality volumetric imaging with a decrease in data volume of up to 84% compared to that obtained using the FMC data acquisition method. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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25 pages, 1787 KiB  
Article
Frequency-Resolved High-Frequency Broadband Measurement of Acoustic Longitudinal Waves by Laser-Based Excitation and Detection
by Felix Brand and Klaus Stefan Drese
Sensors 2024, 24(5), 1630; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24051630 - 1 Mar 2024
Viewed by 573
Abstract
Optoacoustics is a metrology widely used for material characterisation. In this study, a measurement setup for the selective determination of the frequency-resolved phase velocities and attenuations of longitudinal waves over a wide frequency range (3–55 MHz) is presented. The ultrasonic waves in [...] Read more.
Optoacoustics is a metrology widely used for material characterisation. In this study, a measurement setup for the selective determination of the frequency-resolved phase velocities and attenuations of longitudinal waves over a wide frequency range (3–55 MHz) is presented. The ultrasonic waves in this setup were excited by a pulsed laser within an absorption layer in the thermoelastic regime and directed through a layer of water onto a sample. The acoustic waves were detected using a self-built adaptive interferometer with a photorefractive crystal. The instrument transmits compression waves only, is low-contact, non-destructive, and has a sample-independent excitation. The limitations of the approach were studied both by simulation and experiments to determine how the frequency range and precision can be improved. It was shown that measurements are possible for all investigated materials (silicon, silicone, aluminium, and water) and that the relative error for the phase velocity is less than 0.2%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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17 pages, 6117 KiB  
Article
Quantitative Detection of Pipeline Cracks Based on Ultrasonic Guided Waves and Convolutional Neural Network
by Yuchi Shen, Jing Wu, Junfeng Chen, Weiwei Zhang, Xiaolin Yang and Hongwei Ma
Sensors 2024, 24(4), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24041204 - 13 Feb 2024
Viewed by 829
Abstract
In this study, a quantitative detection method of pipeline cracks based on a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) was developed using the time-domain signal of ultrasonic guided waves and the crack size of the pipeline as the input and output, respectively. Pipeline ultrasonic [...] Read more.
In this study, a quantitative detection method of pipeline cracks based on a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) was developed using the time-domain signal of ultrasonic guided waves and the crack size of the pipeline as the input and output, respectively. Pipeline ultrasonic guided wave detection signals under different crack defect conditions were obtained via numerical simulations and experiments, and these signals were input as features into a multi-layer perceptron and one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) for training. The results revealed that the 1D-CNN performed better in the quantitative analysis of pipeline crack defects, with an error of less than 2% in the simulated and experimental data, and it could effectively evaluate the size of crack defects from the echo signals under different frequency excitations. Thus, by combining the ultrasonic guided wave detection technology and CNN, a quantitative analysis of pipeline crack defects can be effectively realized. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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18 pages, 14628 KiB  
Article
A Grating Interferometric Acoustic Sensor Based on a Flexible Polymer Diaphragm
by Linsen Xiong and Zhi-mei Qi
Sensors 2023, 23(24), 9912; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249912 - 18 Dec 2023
Viewed by 853
Abstract
This study presents a grating interferometric acoustic sensor based on a flexible polymer diaphragm. A flexible-diaphragm acoustic sensor based on grating interferometry (GI) is proposed through design, fabrication and experimental demonstration. A gold-coated polyethylene terephthalate diaphragm was used for the sensor prototype. The [...] Read more.
This study presents a grating interferometric acoustic sensor based on a flexible polymer diaphragm. A flexible-diaphragm acoustic sensor based on grating interferometry (GI) is proposed through design, fabrication and experimental demonstration. A gold-coated polyethylene terephthalate diaphragm was used for the sensor prototype. The vibration of the diaphragm induces a change in GI cavity length, which is converted into an electrical signal by the photodetector. The experimental results show that the sensor prototype has a flat frequency response in the voice frequency band and the minimum detectable sound pressure can reach 164.8 µPa/√Hz. The sensor prototype has potential applications in speech acquisition and the measurement of water content in oil. This study provides a reference for the design of optical interferometric acoustic sensor with high performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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10 pages, 2746 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Influence of the Geometrical Shape of the Damper on the Efficiency of an Ultrasonic Operation Piezoelectric Transducer
by M. S. Vechera, S. I. Konovalov, R. S. Konovalov, B. I, V. M. Tsaplev, A. D. Soloveva and J. Lee
Sensors 2023, 23(24), 9662; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249662 - 6 Dec 2023
Viewed by 886
Abstract
The results of a study on the geometric shape of the damper on the efficiency of the ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer are presented. In particular, a damper in the form of a truncated cone is considered, the generatrix of which has an inclination angle [...] Read more.
The results of a study on the geometric shape of the damper on the efficiency of the ultrasonic piezoelectric transducer are presented. In particular, a damper in the form of a truncated cone is considered, the generatrix of which has an inclination angle α relative to the diameter of the piezoceramic plate. The shape of the damper in the form of a truncated cone is chosen based on the a priori assumption that this helps to increase the path of the wave in the damper material due to numerous reflections in it. A criterion for the efficiency of damper operation is proposed. The optimal (from the point of view of the damper efficiency) value of the angle α was determined theoretically and experimentally. The technology of its production is described. Satisfactory agreement between the results of theoretical and experimental studies was noted. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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24 pages, 6477 KiB  
Article
Application of the Lamb Wave Mode of Acoustic Emission for Monitoring Impact Damage in Plate Structures
by Baochun Xu, Jiacai Huang and Yachun Jie
Sensors 2023, 23(20), 8611; https://doi.org/10.3390/s23208611 - 20 Oct 2023
Viewed by 862
Abstract
The impact acoustic emission (AE) of plate structures is a transient stress wave generated by local materials under impact force that contains the state information of the impacted area. If the impact causes damage, the AE from material damage will be superimposed on [...] Read more.
The impact acoustic emission (AE) of plate structures is a transient stress wave generated by local materials under impact force that contains the state information of the impacted area. If the impact causes damage, the AE from material damage will be superimposed on the impact AE. Therefore, this paper details the direct extraction of damage-induced AEs from impact AEs for the health monitoring of plate structures. The damage-induced AE was analysed based on various aspects, including the cut-off range and propagation speed characteristics of the Lamb wave mode, the correlation between the force direction and the Lamb wave mode, and the impact damage process. According to these features, the damage-induced AE wave packets were extracted and verified via impact tests on epoxy glass fibreboards. The results demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed method for determining whether an impact causes damage via the direct extraction of the damage-induced AE from the impact AE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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28 pages, 7546 KiB  
Systematic Review
Systematic Evaluation of Ultrasonic In-Line Inspection Techniques for Oil and Gas Pipeline Defects Based on Bibliometric Analysis
by Jie Huang, Pengchao Chen, Rui Li, Kuan Fu, Yanan Wang, Jinyao Duan and Zhenlin Li
Sensors 2024, 24(9), 2699; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24092699 - 24 Apr 2024
Viewed by 395
Abstract
The global reliance on oil and gas pipelines for energy transportation is increasing. As the pioneering review in the field of ultrasonic defect detection for oil and gas pipelines based on bibliometric methods, this study employs visual analysis to identify the most influential [...] Read more.
The global reliance on oil and gas pipelines for energy transportation is increasing. As the pioneering review in the field of ultrasonic defect detection for oil and gas pipelines based on bibliometric methods, this study employs visual analysis to identify the most influential countries, academic institutions, and journals in this domain. Through cluster analysis, it determines the primary trends, research hotspots, and future directions in this critical field. Starting from the current global industrial ultrasonic in-line inspection (ILI) detection level, this paper provides a flowchart for selecting detection methods and a table for defect comparison, detailing the comparative performance limits of different detection devices. It offers a comprehensive perspective on the latest ultrasonic pipeline detection technology from laboratory experiments to industrial practice. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Acoustic and Ultrasonic Sensing Technology in Non-destructive Testing)
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