Design of a new optical system to generate narrowband guided waves with an application for evaluating the health status of rail material

A Review of Laser Ultrasonic Lamb Wave Damage Detection Methods for Thin-Walled Structures

Thin-walled structures, like aircraft skins and ship shells, are often several meters in size but only a few millimeters thick. By utilizing the laser ultrasonic Lamb wave detection method (LU-LDM), signals can be detected over long distances without physical contact. Additionally, this technology offers excellent flexibility in designing the measurement point distribution. The characteristics of LU-LDM are first analyzed in this review, specifically in terms of laser ultrasound and hardware configuration. Next, the methods are categorized based on three criteria: the quantity of collected wavefield data, the spectral domain, and the distribution of measurement points. The advantages and disadvantages of multiple methods are compared, and the suitable conditions for each method are summarized. Thirdly, we summarize four combined methods that balance detection efficiency and accuracy. Finally, several future development trends are suggested, and the current gaps and shortcomings in LU-LDM are highlighted. This review builds a comprehensive framework for LU-LDM for the first time, which is expected to serve as a technical reference for applying this technology in large, thin-walled structures.

Experimental Investigation on Choosing a Proper Sensor System for Guided Waves to Check the Integrity of Seven-Wire Steel Strands

Multiple wire twisted steel strands are commonly used to hoist elevators, concrete structures, etc. Due to frequent and long-time usage, the steel strands are subjected to corrosion, overloads, and aging, making strands may fail unexpectedly. Hence, the health monitoring of steel strands becomes more important to avoid the sudden collapse of hoisting structures. Guided waves (GW) inspection methods have become favorable in recent years due to its long-distance transmission and stability of evaluation in the area of structural health monitoring (SHM) and Non-Destructive Testing (NDT). Many researchers have reported different GW methods to detect different types of defects that occurred in steel strands. However, researchers rarely carry out comparative studies to investigate the effectiveness of each method or system in monitoring the health state of steel strands. This article reports some vital observations revealed from conducting experiments by using contact and noncontact methods, which include three different popular types of GW sensors and methods during their applications in surface-type defect detection. The proper selection of sensors systems has been identified through the present study. The result of the present study is believed to be useful guidance for selecting appropriate GW methods and sensor systems to monitor the integrity of the steel strand and thereby ensure the safety of the hoisted structures.