Magnetoacoustic Stress Measurements in Steel

Abstract

Uniaxial stress effects on the low-field magnetoacoustic interaction have been studied using bulk compressional waves and Rayleigh surface waves in numerous steel samples having various impurity concentrations (Namkung et al., 1984). The results invariably showed that the initial slope of acoustic natural velocity variations, with respect to net induced magnetization parallel to the stress axis, is positive under tension and negative under compression. The results of current measurements in railroad rail steel having about 0.68 wt percent carbon content are typical for medium range carbon steels. The low-field natural velocity slope in this particular type of steel, which is almost zero when unstressed, becomes steeper with increased magnitude of stress in both directions. Hence, the nondestructive determination of the sign of residual stress in railroad wheels and rails is possible using this technique. This paper discusses the basic physical mechanism underlying the experimental observations and presents the results obtained in railroad rail steel.