Reference Damages for Verification of Probability of Detection with Guided Waves

Abstract

For conventional ultrasonic testing reference damages are well-established and simple to use like flat-bottom holes. For verification of POD using guided waves, these reference damages are barely useful, as there are not representing the characteristic changes in the guided wave signal, compared to impact damage. Also most damage detection approaches of guided waves depend on baseline signals, precluding some established reference damages like embedded Teflon layers. For that reason, a new class of reference damages needs to be defined, which are tailored for the application scenario including as well the applied analysis method. These reference damages may be attachable to the structure after baseline measurement and in best case removable. They shall generate a comparable change in the features of the signal like real impact damage and, due to the complex design of experiment, be available in parallel in numerical simulation and in experiment.