UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-12-14DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107551
Xue Gao, Lihong Huang, Peng Huang, Yuanyuan Wang, Yi Guo
{"title":"Ultrasound imaging with flexible transducers based on real-time and high-accuracy shape estimation.","authors":"Xue Gao, Lihong Huang, Peng Huang, Yuanyuan Wang, Yi Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107551","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107551","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Ultrasound imaging with flexible transducers requires the knowledge of shape geometry for effective beamforming, which such geometry is variable and often unknown. The conventional iteration-based shape estimation methods estimate transducer shape with high computational expense. Although deep-learning-based methods are introduced to reduce computation time, their low shape estimation accuracy limits the practical applications. In this paper, we propose a novel deep-learning-based approach, called FlexSANet, for shape estimation in ultrasound imaging with flexible transducers, which rapidly achieves precise shape estimation and then reconstructs high-quality images. First, in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) data are demodulated from raw radio frequency (RF) data to provide comprehensive guidance for the estimation task. A sparse processing mechanism is employed to extract crucial channel signals, resulting in sparse I/Q data and reducing the estimation time. Then, a spatial-aware shape estimation network establishes a one-shot mapping between the sparse I/Q data and the flexible probe shape. Finally, the ultrasound image is reconstructed using the delay-and-sum (DAS) beamformer with estimated shape. Massive comparisons on simulation datasets and in vivo datasets demonstrate the superiority of the proposed shape estimation method in rapidly and accurately estimating the transducer shape, leading to real-time and high-quality imaging. The mean absolute error of element position in shape estimation is below 1/8 wavelengths for simulation and in vivo experiments, indicating minimal element position error. The structural similarity between the ultrasound images reconstructed with real and estimated shapes is above 0.84 for simulation experiments and 0.80 for in vivo experiments, demonstrating superior image quality. More significantly, its estimation time on CPU of only 0.12 s promises clinical application potential of flexible ultrasound transducers.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107551"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142855606","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107554
Andrius Čeponis, Darius Vainorius, Kristina Kilikevičienė, Artūras Kilikevičius
{"title":"Investigation of a multi-frequency ultrasonic acoustic pressure source for acoustic agglomeration.","authors":"Andrius Čeponis, Darius Vainorius, Kristina Kilikevičienė, Artūras Kilikevičius","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper represents numerical and experimental investigations of an ultrasonic multifrequency piezoelectric acoustic pressure source whose target application is acoustic agglomeration of fine and ultrafine particles. The operation of source is based on three vibration modes at 25.83 kHz, 34.73 kHz and 52.41 kHz. Multi-frequency operation allows to obtain three different patterns of acoustic pressure levels which allows to increase performance of the agglomeration process while particles sizes change over time or process. Moreover, acoustic pressure levels, as well as their patterns, were investigated while the source was driven by rectangular and sawtooth signals. Excitation by nonharmonic signals ensured possibility of obtaining modified patterns which results changes in the acoustic pressure levels gradients and allows to obtain different amplitudes of particles vibrations in the agglomeration chamber. Results of numerical and experimental investigations have shown that the ultrasonic acoustic pressure source under excitation by square and sawtooth signals is able to provide maximum sound pressure in the range from 121.6 dB to 132.2 dB while maximum SPL values generated by harmonic signal were indicated in range from 116.4 dB to 129.3 dB. Finally, experimental investigations of acoustic fields impacting particle decrement in air flow have shown that generation of acoustic field by square and sawtooth-shaped signals is able to provide up to 21.38 % and 27.88 % decrement level of 0.3 µm and 1 µm sized particles.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107554"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142855471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-12-12DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107552
Zitong Mai, Xiping He
{"title":"Investigation of rare earth giant magnetostrictive transducers based on improved LTspice circuit model.","authors":"Zitong Mai, Xiping He","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107552","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107552","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rare earth giant magnetostrictive ultrasonic transducers (GMUTs) hold significant potential for advancement in ultrasonic machining due to their superior properties. Building on the study of a modular multi-field coupled circuit simulation model of the transducer using LTspice, this work further proposes an improved circuit simulation model. By segmenting the transducer components, a segmented equivalent circuit model (SECM) is constructed to reflect the vibration characteristics at different positions within the components. Using this model, a GMUT with a resonant frequency of near 20 kHz for ultrasonic applications (such as ultrasonic machining) is designed. Based on this model, the impedance, bandwidth, axial displacement and stress distribution, displacement nodes, the front-to-rear amplitude ratio, and the amplitude under different excitation currents of the transducer were calculated. The performance of the transducer was also simulated using the finite element method (FEM). Experimental tests showed that the transducer's bandwidth is 225 Hz, the front-to-rear amplitude ratio is 16.40, and the output amplitude is approximately linearly related to the excitation current. When the excitation current is 1.00 A, the output amplitude reaches 6.10 μm, consistent with the results calculated by the proposed model. This demonstrates the accuracy and applicability of the proposed modeling method.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107552"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142847887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Interaction effects on acoustic emissions of submicron ultrasound contrast agents at subharmonic resonances.","authors":"Hongmei Tang, Qiao Xiao, Jia Fu, Siyuan Liu, Wei Wang, Dui Qin","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107553","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Submicron ultrasound contrast agents hold great potential to extend the bubble-mediated theranostics beyond the vasculature, but their acoustic response and the interaction effects between them remain poorly understood. This study set out to numerically examine the interaction effects on the subharmonic oscillations of nanobubbles and the resultant acoustic emissions under subharmonic resonance conditions. Results showed that a negative correlation between bubble size and subharmonic resonance frequency is readily obtained from the radius response curves. Moreover, it was also found that the larger nanobubble in a two-nanobubble system generally acts as the primary determinant for the subharmonic oscillations of the smaller one. Specifically, a larger nanobubble excited at its subharmonic resonance conditions can force a smaller nanobubble to undergo subharmonic oscillations, resulting in the generation of subharmonic acoustic emissions. Conversely, under specific resonance conditions, a smaller nanobubble undergoing subharmonic oscillations can also be restrained by a larger nanobubble that is off-resonance and consequently its subharmonic component disappears. Furthermore, it also clearly demonstrated that the generation of subharmonic resonance is pressure threshold dependent and the subharmonic resonant radius is distinctly reduced as the acoustic pressure increases. By contrast, a larger nanobubble has a lower pressure threshold than that of a smaller one, when subjected to their subharmonic resonance conditions respectively. More importantly, the higher pressure threshold of a smaller nanobubble can be prominently decreased by the interaction effects from a nearby larger nanobubble. For two interacting nanobubbles, the interaction effects strongly depend on the inter-bubble distance, and the farther the two nanobubbles is, the weaker the interaction effects become and even can be ignored. Additionally, the impacts of the lipid shell properties indicated that increasing shell viscoelasticity can increase the subharmonic resonant radius but dampen the subharmonic oscillations and the resultant acoustic emissions, which is more sensitive to the shell viscosity. This study can contribute to a better understanding of the complex interaction effects between submicron ultrasound contrast agents on the resultant acoustic emissions, potentially advancing nanobubble-specific ultrasound applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107553"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142839802","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107542
Sajjad Afrakhteh, Libertario Demi
{"title":"Mitigating high frame rate demands in shear wave elastography using radial basis function-based reconstruction: An experimental phantom study.","authors":"Sajjad Afrakhteh, Libertario Demi","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107542","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107542","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Shear wave elastography (SWE) is a technique that quantifies tissue stiffness by assessing the speed of shear waves propagating after being excited by acoustic radiation force. SWE allows the quantification of elastic tissue properties and serves as an adjunct to conventional ultrasound techniques, aiding in tissue characterization. To capture this transient propagation of the shear wave, the ultrasound device must be able to reach very high frame rates.</p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>In this paper, our aim is to relax the high frame rate requirement for SWE imaging. To this end, we propose lower frame rate SWE imaging followed by employing a 2-dimensional (2D) radial basis functions (RBF)-based interpolation. More specifically, the process involves obtaining low frame rate data and then temporal upsampling to reach a synthetic high frame rate data by inserting the 'UpS-1' image frames with missing values between two successive image frames (UpS: Upsampling rate). Finally, we apply the proposed interpolation technique to reconstruct the missing values within the incomplete high frame rate data.</p><p><strong>Results and conclusion: </strong>The results obtained from employing the proposed model on two experimental datasets indicate that we can relax the frame rate requirement of SWE imaging by a factor of 4 while maintaining shear wave speed (SWS), group velocity, and phase velocity estimates closely align with the high frame rate SWE model so that the error is less than 3%. Furthermore, analysis of the structural similarity index (SSIM) and root mean squared error (RMSE) on the 2D-SWS maps highlights the efficacy of the suggested technique in enhancing local SWS estimates, even at a downsampling (DS) factor of 4. For DS≤4, the SSIM values between the 2D-SWS maps produced by the proposed technique and those generated by the original high frame rate data consistently remain above 0.94. Additionally, the RMSE values is below 0.37 m/s, indicating promising performance of the proposed technique in reconstruction of SWS values.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107542"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142824444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-12-05DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107543
Jiateng Shi, Pingqing Fan, Jie Liu
{"title":"A resonant quadruped piezoelectric robot inspired by human butterfly swimming patterns.","authors":"Jiateng Shi, Pingqing Fan, Jie Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107543","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107543","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Piezoelectric micro-robots have gained considerable attention in rescue and medical applications due to their rapid response times and high positioning accuracy. In this paper, inspired by the human butterfly locomotion pattern, we propose a novel resonant four-legged piezoelectric micro-robot designed to achieve fast and efficient movement in complex and confined spaces. The robot utilizes the parallel piezoelectric bimorph as the driving unit, and its leg structure mimics the butterfly motion. By employing asymmetric driving forces, the robot can achieve multi-directional movement. A dynamic model of the robot is developed, and the stress and motion characteristics are analyzed. The finite element method (FEM) is applied to optimize the structural parameters and determine the robot's optimal operating frequency. Finally, the prototype of the piezoelectric robot is constructed, and its performance is evaluated. The results show that, under an excitation voltage of 80 V, the robot achieves a maximum speed of 66.1 mm/s, can carry a load of up to 100 g, and withstand a maximum drag force of 15.3 mN. The robot demonstrates sub-micron resolution, excellent environmental adaptability, and precise rotational capabilities, making it suitable for tasks such as exploration, mapping, and sampling in constrained environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107543"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142795140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107535
Arpan Ghosh, Arun K Thittai
{"title":"Advanced synthetic aperture technique to enhance image quality in ultrasound elastography: A novel strategy.","authors":"Arpan Ghosh, Arun K Thittai","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107535","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107535","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Quasi-static elastography (QSE) is a well-established technique used in medical imaging, where ultrasound data is collected both, before and after applying a slight compression on a tissue. This data is then analyzed to create image frames that reveal the stiffness parameter of the underlying tissue medium. Previous studies have focused on assessing how the Conventional Focused Beam (CFB) transmit method impacts the ultrasound elastography image quality. Recent studies have also shown an interest in synthetic aperture techniques like the Diverging Beam Synthetic Aperture Technique (DBSAT), due to its potential to enhance ultrasound image quality. However, its application in elastography has received limited attention. This paper introduces a new strategy of averaging low-resolution elastogram frames (LREA), obtained from DBSAT transmit method to improve the quality of elastography images. The CFB technique involves scanning the tissue line by line. In contrast, DBSAT is a synthetic aperture method that generates multiple low-resolution elastogram frames before combining them together to create a single high-quality image. In this research paper all the experimental studies were conducted on an agar-gelatin phantom, demonstrating the effectiveness of estimating elastograms from the low-resolution frame data of DBSAT transmit scheme and then summing them together to produce an elastogram with enhanced image quality. The results show a maximum improvement of 8 dB in the image quality metric of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as well as a 7 dB improvement in contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) when comparing elastography images obtained by the proposed LREA method and the elastography images obtained by regular processing of the RF data acquired using the different methods of CFB and DBSAT.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107535"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142795152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-11-28DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107534
Gonglin Wang, Caibin Xu, Quanqing Lai, Mingxi Deng
{"title":"SAFT imaging for high-density polyethylene using quasi-static components of ultrasonic longitudinal waves.","authors":"Gonglin Wang, Caibin Xu, Quanqing Lai, Mingxi Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107534","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107534","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is extensively utilized across various industries, including nuclear power, primarily for its exceptional properties. However, there are challenges with traditional linear ultrasound imaging systems due to the significant thicknesses and the highly attenuative of HDPE. High-frequency carrier waves can offer better imaging resolution but also suffer higher acoustic attenuation, which limits the propagation distance of primary longitudinal waves (PLW) and makes it difficult to detect defects within thick HDPEs. On the other hand, using low-frequency PLW for defect detection presents challenges in resolution despite lower attenuation and longer propagation distances. This study proposes a defect imaging method for HDPEs by using quasi-static components (QSC) generated along with high-frequency fundamental wave propagation because of the nonlinear effect. The QSC has the advantage of low attenuation because its carrier frequency is zero, which can propagate a long distance in a high acoustic attention medium like HDPE. A nonlinear ultrasonic imaging approach combining the QSC and synthetic aperture focusing technique is proposed for defect imaging in HDPEs. Experiments on HDPEs with single and multiple defects are conducted to verify the performance of the proposed method. For comparison, the imaging results using traditional linear ultrasounds with high (2.5 MHz) and low (0.5 MHz) carrier frequencies are also provided. The results show the proposed method has better imaging performance over traditional linear ultrasound imaging methods for defect defections in high acoustic attention medium.</p>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"148 ","pages":"107534"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142792385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107531
Chao Sun , Roman Mikhaylov , Xiaoye Yang , Xiaoyan Zhang , Kungui Feng , Tengfei Zheng , Yong-Qing Fu , Xin Yang
{"title":"Enhanced integrated acoustofluidics with printed circuit board electrodes attached to piezoelectric film coated substrate","authors":"Chao Sun , Roman Mikhaylov , Xiaoye Yang , Xiaoyan Zhang , Kungui Feng , Tengfei Zheng , Yong-Qing Fu , Xin Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107531","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107531","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current key issues in applying acoustofluidics in engineering lie in the inflexibility of manufacturing processes, particularly those involving modifications to piezoelectric materials and devices. This leads to inefficient prototyping and potentially high costs. To overcome these limitations, we proposed a technique that is capable of prototyping acoustofluidic devices in a straightforward manner. This is achieved by simply clamping a printed circuit board (PCB) featuring interdigital electrodes (IDEs) onto a substrate coated with a piezoelectric thin film. By applying appropriate clamping force between the PCB and the substrate, one can effectively generate surface acoustic waves (SAWs) along the surface of the substrate. This approach simplifies the prototyping process, reducing the complexity and fabrication time. The clamping mechanism allows for easy adjustment and optimization of the SAW generation, enabling fine-tuning of the fluid and particle manipulation capabilities. Furthermore, this method allows for customizable interdigital transducers (IDTs) by ‘patterning’ IDEs on thin-film piezoelectric substrates (such as ZnO/Al and ZnO/Si) with various anisotropy orientations. This facilitates the on-demand generation of wave modes, including A0 and S0 Lamb waves, Rayleigh waves, and Sezawa waves. One notable advantage of this method is its capability to rapidly test acoustic wave patterns and performance on any substrate, offering a fast and streamlined approach to assess acoustic behaviors across diverse materials, thereby paving the way for efficient exploration of novel materials in SAW technology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 107531"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142745896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
UltrasonicsPub Date : 2024-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107527
C. Nicard , M. Rébillat , O. Devos , M. El May , F. Letellier , S. Dubent , M. Thomachot , M. Fournier , P. Masse , N. Mechbal
{"title":"In-situ monitoring of µm-sized electrochemically generated corrosion pits using Lamb waves managed by a sparse array of piezoelectric transducers","authors":"C. Nicard , M. Rébillat , O. Devos , M. El May , F. Letellier , S. Dubent , M. Thomachot , M. Fournier , P. Masse , N. Mechbal","doi":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107527","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ultras.2024.107527","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Corrosion is a major threat in the aeronautic industry, both in terms of safety and cost. Efficient, versatile, and cost affordable solutions for corrosion monitoring are thus needed. Ultrasonic Lamb Waves (LW) appear to be very efficient for corrosion monitoring and can be made cost effective and versatile if emitted and received by a sparse array of piezoelectric elements (PZT). A LW solution relying on a sparse PZT array and allowing to monitor µm-sized corrosion pit growth on stainless 316L grade steel plate is here evaluated. Experimentally, the corrosion pit size is electrochemically controlled by both the imposed electrical potential and the injection of a corrosive NaCl solution through a capillary located at the desired pit location. In parallel, the corrosion pit growth is monitored in-situ every 10 s by sending and measuring LW using a sparse array of 4 PZTs bonded to the back of the steel plate enduring corrosion. As a ground truth information, the corrosion pit volume is estimated as the dissolved volume balancing the electronic charges exchanged during corrosion. The corrosion pit radius is additionally checked post-experiment precisely with an optical measurement. Measured LW signals are then post-processed in order to compute a collection of synthetic damage indexes (DIs). After dimension reduction steps, obtained DI values correlates extremely well with the corrosion pit radius. Using a linear model relating those DI values to corrosion pit radius, it is demonstrated that corrosion pit from 30 <!--> <!-->µm to 150 <!--> <!-->µm can be reliably detected, located, and their upcoming size extrapolated. Two independent experiments were achieved in order to ensure the repeatability of the proposed approach. LW managed by a sparse PZT array thus appears to be reliable and efficient to monitor growth of µm-sized corrosion pits on 316L steel plates. If embedded in aeronautical structure, such an approach could be a versatile and cost-effective alternative to actual non-destructive maintenance procedures that are time and manpower consuming.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23522,"journal":{"name":"Ultrasonics","volume":"147 ","pages":"Article 107527"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142722391","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}