Comparison of Ultrasonic Velocities between Direct and Indirect Methods on 30 mm × 30 mm Spruce Lumber

This study investigates the relationship between ultrasonic velocity and density in the direct method, the effect of distance between transducers in the indirect method, and the difference between the direct and indirect methods with transducers placed at a distance of 200 mm in nondestructive ultrasonic testing of spruce lumber. The direct method using 54 kHz ultrasonic transducers was applied to two planes, namely, radial section (LR) and tangential section (LT) of samples. The indirect method measurements were taken using the same transducers. Two velocities were measured at the top and bottom of the LT plane and at the two sides of the LR plane; the two values for each plane were averaged. The relationship between density and ultrasound velocity in the direct method demonstrated a positive correlation between the two variables. The difference between the two planes, LT and LR, was not statistically significant. Moreover, the distance between the transducers in the indirect method affected ultrasound velocity, with the ultrasonic velocity increasing as the distance between the transducers became larger. A transducer distance of 200 mm yielded a close approximation of the direct method results with a ratio of 0.87. Finally, no statistical evidence of a difference between the two planes in the indirect method was found. If the direct method, which requires access to two surfaces, is impractical, the indirect method can be applied.