• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.332-340
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• 2015

Acoustic emission (AE) is an effective nondestructive test that uses transient elastic wave generated by the rapid release of energy within a material to detect any further growth or expansion of existing defects. Over the past decades, because of environmental issues, the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as an alternative fuel for vehicles is increasing because of environmental issues. For this reason, the importance and necessity of detecting defects on a CNG fuel tank has also come to the fore. The conventional AE method used for source location is highly affected by the wave speed on the structure, and this creates problems in inspecting a composite CNG fuel tank. Because the speed and dispersion characteristics of the wave are different according to direction of structure and laminated layers. In this study, both the conventional AE method and the energy based contour map method were used for source location. This new method based on pre-acquired D/B was used for overcoming the limitation of damage localization in a composite CNG fuel tank specimen which consists of a steel liner cylinder overwrapped by GFRP. From the experimental results, it is observed that the damage localization is determined with a small error at all tested points by using the energy based contour map method, while there were a number of mis-locations or large errors at many tested points by using the conventional AE method. Therefore, the energy based contour map method used in this work is more suitable technology for inspecting composite structures.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.193-199
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• 2015

Active thermography techniques have the capability of inspecting a broad range simultaneously. By evaluating the phase difference between the defected area and the healthy area, the technique indicates the qualitative location and size of the defect. Previously, the development of the defect detection method used a variety of materials and the test specimen was done. In this study, the proposed technique of lock-in is verified with artificial specimens that have different size and depth of subsurface defects. Finally, the defect detection capability was evaluated using comparisons of the phase image and the amplitude image according to the size and depth of defects.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2017

This paper presents an automated subsurface micro void detection technique based on pulsed infrared thermography for inspecting epoxy molding compounds (EMC) used in electronic device packaging. Subsurface micro voids are first detected and visualized by extracting a lock-in amplitude image from raw thermal images. Binary imaging follows to achieve better visualization of subsurface micro voids. A median filter is then applied for removing sparse noise components. The performance of the proposed technique is tested using 36 EMC samples, which have subsurface (below $150{\mu}m{\sim}300{\mu}m$ from the inspection surface) micro voids ($150{\mu}m{\sim}300{\mu}m$ in diameter). The experimental results show that the subsurface micro voids can be successfully detected without causing any damage to the EMC samples, making it suitable for automated online inspection.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.391-406
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• 2008

This study attempts to develop a real-time debonding monitoring system for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthened structures by continuously inspecting the bonding condition between the CFRP layer and the host structure. The uniqueness of this study is in developing a new concept and theoretical framework of nondestructive testing (NDT), in which debonding is detected without relying on previously-obtained baseline data. The proposed reference-free damage diagnosis is achieved based on the concept of time reversal acoustics (TRA). In TRA, an input signal at an excitation point can be reconstructed if the response signal measured at another point is reemitted to the original excitation point after being reversed in the time domain. Examining the deviation of the reconstructed signal from the known initial input signal allows instantaneous identification of damage without requiring a baseline signal representing the undamaged state for comparison. The concept of TRA has been extended to guided wave propagations within the CFRP-strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams to improve the detectibility of local debonding. Monotonic and fatigue load tests of large-scale CFRP-strengthened RC beams are conducted to demonstrate the potential of the proposed reference-free debonding monitoring system. Comparisons with an electro-mechanical impedance method and an inferred imaging technique are provided as well.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.439-445
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• 2005

The stud bolt is one of crucial parts for safe operation of reactor vessels in nuclear power plants, Crack initiation and propagation were reported in stud bolts that arc used for closure of reactor vessel and head, Stud bolts are inspected by ultrasonic technique during overhaul periodically for the prevention of stud bolt failure which could induce radioactive leakage from nuclear reactor, In conventional ultrasonic testing for inspection of stud bolts, cracks are detected by using shadow effect It takes too much time to inspect stud bolts by using conventional ultrasonic technique. In addition, there were numerous spurious signals reflected from every oblique surfaces of thread, In this study, the signal processing technique for enhancing conventional ultrasonic technique was introduced for inspecting stud bolts. The signal processing technique provides removing spurious signal reflected from every oblique surfaces of thread and enhances detectability of defects. Detectability for small crack was enhanced by using this signal processing in ultrasonic inspection of stud bolts in Nuclear Power Plants.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.36-40
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• 2010

The ultrasonic guided wave propagates along with the given structure's wall direction. Because of this specific character, the ultrasonic guided waves arc used in many other fields. Especially, it can be readily utilized for nondestructive inspection of various structures that are made up of gas pipes, heat exchanger tubes, and thin plates. Further, the guided wave technology can be readily utilized when inspecting pipes or thin plates which pose high risk of the accident but for which the nondestructive inspection itself is impossible because it is difficult to get to them since they are coated or buried underground. In the other hand, conventional ultrasonic testing such as thickness gauging uses bulk waves and only tests the region of structure immediately below the transducer. As a result of the application about inlet and outlet cooling water line using guided wave test, we conformed that the overall corrosions were in the lower side of the 304.8 mm inlet valve and these corrosions were engaged in not locally but through the lower side of the valve line. In the near future, we can expect that the detectable defect size is smaller than before along with the development of the sensing technology.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2014

In the present study, the characteristics of laser ultrasound in the ablation regime are investigated using simulations and experiments. The laser ultrasonic technique has been recognized as a noncontact method in the field of nondestructive tests (NDTs). In hostile environments (such as hot temperatures), this method has various advantages over the conventional contact ultrasonic method. In particular, in the ablation regime, the laser ultrasonic technique is suitable for inspecting internal defects because of the high amplitude and directivity of the longitudinal wave. In this paper, a simulation model for laser ultrasound in the ablation regime was developed. This model was subsequently applied to a defective specimen using the B-scan method to locate defects. Finally, we performed an experimental test to verify the simulation results. Consequently, the simulation demonstrated good agreement with the experimental test.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.943-950
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• 2008

A novel nondestructive testing (NDT) system, which is able to detect a crack with high speed and high spatial resolution, is urgently required for inspecting small cracks on express train wheels. This paper proposes a high speed scan type magnetic camera, which uses the multiple amplifying circuits and the crack indicating pulse output system. The linearly integrated Hall sensors are arrayed in parallel, and the Hall voltages from each sensor in the scanning direction are obtained and amplified. High-speed NDT can be achieved by using the exclusive analog-digital converter and micro-processor because the ${\partial}\;V_H/\;{\partial}$ x value, which provides the most important crack information, can be obtained by buffering and calculating. The effectiveness of the novel method was verified by examine using cracks on the wheel specimen model.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1997.07b
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• pp.406-408
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• 1997

This paper presents the new method of a nondestructive spot welding state inspection system using neural networks. The learning process of neural networks makes the inspection system to adapt the variable welding parameters. The inspecting process is working with on-line real-time after off-line learning process. This neural network based inspection system shows reliable results through the field test for variations of applied voltages, currents, and contact area of the welding electrode.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2008.05a
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• pp.579-584
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• 2008

A novel nondestructive testing (NDT) system, which is able to detect a crack with high speed and high spatial resolution, is urgently required for inspecting small cracks on express train wheels. This paper proposes an improved signal processing circuits, which uses the multiple amplifying circuits and the crack indicating pulse output system of the previous scan-type magnetic camera. Hall sensors are arrayed linearly, and the wheel is rotated with static speed in the vertical direction to sensor array direction. Each Hall voltages are amplified, converted and immediately operated by using, amplifying circuits, analog-to-digital converters and $\mu$-processor, respectively. The operated results, ${\partial}V_H/{\partial}t$, are compared with a standard value, which indicates a crack existence. If the ${\partial}V_H/{\partial}t$ is larger than standard value, the pulse signal is output, and indicates the existence of crack. The effectiveness of the novel method was verified by examine using cracks on the wheel specimen model.