Ultrasonic Guided Waves for Structural Health Monitoring Applications

Abstract

Ultrasonic guided waves present several properties that make them optimal for use in structural health monitoring applications. This paper aims to simulate the behaviour exhibited by these waves in solids, and to experimentally verify their efficacy in detection of various defects in aluminium sheets, with an aim to monitor the structural health of airframes using piezoelectric wafer active sensors as actuators and sensors – primarily to detect fractures, or surface corrosion for advance warning against airframe failures.