Guided wave topological imaging of isotropic plates.

Topological imaging is a recent method. So far, it has been applied to bulk waves, and high resolution has been demonstrated for imaging scatterers even with a single ultrasonic insonification of the inspected medium. This method consists of (i) emitting waves and measuring the response of the medium; (ii) solving two propagation problems: the direct problem, where the experimental source is simulated, and the adjoint problem, where the source is the time-reversed difference between the measured wave field and that obtained from the direct problem; (iii) computing the image by simply multiplying both wave fields together in the frequency domain, and integrating over the frequency. The speed of the method depends only on the cost of the field computations that are performed in the defect-free medium. The present work deals with the application of topological imaging to plate guided waves. Combining modal theory and Fourier analysis, the computations are performed in a very short time. In the investigated cases, two-dimensional in-plane imaging is based on propagation of the single S0 Lamb mode. Despite very high dispersion of that mode, scatterers are accurately located and the spatial resolution is equal to about one wavelength.

Torsional waves propagation along a waveguide of arbitrary cross section immersed in a perfect fluid.

Guided torsional waves in a bar with a noncircular cross section have been exploited by previous researchers to measure the density of fluids. However, due to the complexity of the wave behavior in the noncircular cross-sectional shape, the previous theory can only provide an approximate prediction; thus the accuracy of the measurement has been compromised. In this paper, a semianalytical finite element method is developed to model accurately the propagation velocity and leakage of guided waves along an immersed waveguide with arbitrary noncircular cross section. An accurate inverse model is then provided to measure the density of the fluid by measuring the change of the torsional wave speed. Experimental results obtained with a rectangular bar in a range of fluids show very good agreement with the theoretical predictions. Finally, the potentials to use the model for sensor optimization are discussed.

The use of an orthogonality relation for reducing the size of finite element models for 3D guided waves scattering problems.

The scattering of guided waves by complex shaped defects in three-dimensional (3D) waveguides is considered. For such problems, analytical solutions do not exist, and modal decomposition techniques based on the establishment of the displacement and stress fields in the vicinity of the scatterer are quite heavy and complicated to perform. On the other hand, finite elements (FE)-based methods constitute a powerful way to obtain solutions, but they are known to be very memory consuming. This paper proposes a post-processing technique, based on a 3D orthogonality relation, to decompose a complex acoustic field produced by a scatterer and predicted by a 3D FE model, into plane waves, the amplitudes of which are quantified in the far field. This technique allows important reductions in the size of the FE models to be made. Two applications are presented to demonstrate the potential of this method. The first one concerns the scattering of the S(0) Lamb wave incident on a flat bottom circular hole. In this example, the amplitude of each mode is calculated via the orthogonality relation-based method, and compared to that obtained by simply monitoring the displacements at appropriate through-thickness positions. In the second application, the incident S(0) Lamb mode is converted into five modes scattered by a defect of complex geometry.

The sensitivity of surface guided modes to the bond quality between a concrete block and a composite plate.

Ultrasonic modes guided along the surface of a concrete block covered by a composite plate are investigated. First of all, the propagation phenomenon is studied by predicting the dispersion curves for various modes supposed to exist in this structure. Then, focus is made on a specific mode expected to be sensitive to the quality of the bond between the concrete and the composite, according to its through-thickness displacement field. Its dispersion curve is re-plotted for various states of this bond, which is modelled as a thin layer with varying properties. Limit cases corresponding to total disbond and perfect bond are considered. Experiments are then made on two composite-concrete assemblies for these two extreme cases using a contact PZT transmitter and an air-coupled receiver system. The phase velocities are in good agreement with the predicted dispersion curves, thus showing the potential of the ultrasonic guided mode to control the quality of bonds in such structures.

Prediction and measurement of nonpropagating Lamb modes at the free end of a plate when the fundamental antisymmetric mode A0 is incident.

Reflection of Lamb waves when the fundamental mode A0 is incident at the free end of a plate is studied, in order to identify the extent to which the generation of nonpropagating modes influences the field local to the end of the plate. Semi-analytical predictions, finite element simulations, and experimental measurements are presented for frequencies below the A2 cutoff. First it is shown, for frequencies below the A1 cutoff, that reflection of the A0 mode is accompanied by a delay in phase, and that there is significant additional motion due to nonpropagating modes within about five plate thicknesses of the end. The extend of this additional motion in the vicinity of the end of the plate is demonstrated by subtracting the contribution of the propagating modes from the displacement field. The wave field at frequencies above the A1 cutoff is more complex because the A1 as well as the A0 propagating modes are present at the end of the plate. Nevertheless, it has still been possible, using semi-analytical predictions and finite element simulations, to demonstrate the additional motion due to the nonpropagating modes.

Air-coupled measurement of plane wave, ultrasonic plate transmission for characterising anisotropic, viscoelastic materials

Electrostatic, air-coupled, ultrasonic transducers are used to generate and detect plane waves in viscoelastic, isotropic or anisotropic solid plates. The through-transmitted field is measured and compared to numerical predictions. An inversion scheme is then applied for identifying the values of the complex Cij which are representative of the viscoelasticity properties of the materials. The issue of this work is a contact-free, ultrasonic technique for material characterisation.

Retinoic acid in the treatment of keloids.

Since retinoids affect collagen metabolism, nine females and two males with keloids were treated with 0.05% tretinoin topically for 12 weeks. The lesions had been present for an average of 7 years prior to therapy. Changes in size were evaluated by serial kodachromes, tape measurements, and appreciation of volume using dental moulages. Two patients abandoned the study due to irritant contact dermatitis. A significant decrease in weight (p less than 0.04) and size (p less than 0.01) was found when comparing the status of the lesions at the beginning of the study and at week 12.