Title: Detection, monitoring, and determination of location of changes in metallic structures using multimode acoustic signals

Abstract

Methods for detection, monitoring, and determination of location of changes in rigid structures with arbitrarily complex geometries are described. Implementations include locating acoustic transducers that generate and receive acoustic signals at multiple locations along a surface of the rigid structure, wherein longitudinal spacing between the transducer locations define measurement zones. Acoustic signals with chosen amplitude-time-frequency characteristics excite multiple vibration modes in the structure within each zone. Small mechanical changes in the inspection zones lead to scattering and attenuation of broadband acoustic signals, which are detectable as changes in received signal characteristics as part of a through-transmission technique. Additional use of short, narrowband pulse acoustic signals as part of a pulse-echo technique allows determination of the relative location of the mechanical change within each zone based on the differential delay profiles.

Inventors:

Findikoglu, Alp T.; Sinha, Dipen N.; Chapman, Daniel R.

Issue Date:

2020-03-10

Research Org.:

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1637869

Patent Number(s):

10585069

Application Number:

15/964,967

Assignee:

Chevron U.S.A. Inc. (San Ramon, CA); Triad National Security, LLC (Los Alamos, NM)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

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G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

G01N2291/011 - Velocity or travel time
G01N2291/0258 - Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
G01N2291/0425 - Parallel to the surface, e.g. creep waves
G01N2291/048 - Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver
G01N2291/102 - one emitter, one receiver
G01N2291/2634 - cylindrical from outside
G01N29/043 - {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves}
G01N29/07 - by measuring propagation velocity or propagation time of acoustic waves
G01N29/343 - {pulse waves, e.g. particular sequence of pulses, bursts}
G01N29/348 - {with frequency characteristics, e.g. single frequency signals, chirp signals
G01N29/42 - by frequency filtering {or by tuning to resonant frequency}
G01N29/4409 - {by comparison}
G01N29/4463 - {Signal correction, e.g. distance amplitude correction [DAC], distance gain size [DGS], noise filtering}
G01N29/4472 - {Mathematical theories or simulation}
G01N29/449 - {Statistical methods not provided for in G01N29/4409, e.g. averaging, smoothing and interpolation}
G01N29/46 - by spectral analysis, e.g. Fourier analysis {or wavelet analysis

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC52-06NA25396

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 04/27/2018

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

42 ENGINEERING; 47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION