• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.649-658
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• 2002

As an attempt to further improve the reliability and effectiveness of ultrasonic testing (UT), a two-dimensional numerical simulator of UT was developed. The simulator models the wave medium (or test object) using the mass-spring lattice model (MSLM) that consists of mass-points and springs. Some previous simulation results, obtained by using MSLM, are briefly reviewed in this paper, for propagation, reflection, and scattering of ultrasonic waves. Next, the models of transmitting and receiving piezoelectric transducers are introduced with some numerical results, which is a main focus of this paper. The UT simulator, established by combining the transducer models with the MSLM, was used to simulate many UT setups. In this paper, two simple setups are considered as examples, and their simulated A-scan signals are discussed. The potential of the MSLM, transducer models, and the UT simulator developed in this study to be used in the actual UT is confirmed.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.40-47
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• 2011

KSNPs(Korea Standard Nuclear Power Plant) have been applied the break exclusion criteria to the high energy lines passing through containment penetration area to ensure that piping failures would not cause the loss of containment isolation function, and to reduce the resulting dynamic effects. Systems with the criteria are the Main Steam system, Feed Water system, Steam Generator Blowdown system, and Chemical & Volume Control system. In accordance with FSAR(Final Safety Analysis Report), a 100% volumetric examination by augmented in-service inspection of all pipe welds appled the break exclusion criteria is required for the break exclusion application piping. However, it is difficult to fully satisfy the requirements of inspection because 12", 8" and 6" weldolet weldments of Main Steam pipe line have complex structural shapes. To resolve the difficulty on the application of conventional UT(Ultrasonic Testing) technique, realistic mock-ups and UT calibration blocks were made. Simulations of conventional UT were performed utilizing CIVA, a commercial NDE(Nondestructive Examination) simulation software. Phased array UT experiments were performed through mock-up including artificial notch type flaws. A phased array UT technique is finally developed to improve the reliability of ultrasonic test at main steam line pipe to 12", 8" and 6" branch connection weld.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.263-272
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• 2008

Many technical methods are used for nondestructive testing field for solid materials. Among those, ultrasonic inspection methods are widely used and one of the popular methods involves the extraction of an appropriate set of features followed by the use of a neural network for the classification of the signals in the feature space. This paper describes an approach which uses LMS method to determine the coordinates of the ultrasonic probe followed by the use of SAFT with centroid technique to estimate the location of the ultrasonic reflector. The method is employed for classifying UT-NDE signals from the steam generator tubes in a nuclear power plant. The classification results are presented for the ultrasonic signals from cracks and deposits within steam generator tubes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 1991

This paper describes the practical difficulties experienced with ultrasonic testing during site fabrication of the offshore structures, and indicates some of the problems when UT indications are evaluated according to written procedure which is prepared to the requirements of the applicable code (standard) and/or specification.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.40-45
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• 2008

Immersion ultrasonic testing (UT) was used to determine elastic moduli of solid materials instead of the widely-used contact UT method. Conventionally, immersion UT is only used for determining the longitudinal wave speed. However, in this research, transverse wave speed was measured through finding transverse wave echoes caused by mode-conversion at material's boundary. Also, even in the cases when wave speeds could not be determined due to unknown thickness, Poisson's ratio was able to be calculated from the ratio of longitudinal and transverse wave speeds. This technique was verified for several materials, and it was found that higher accuracy was obtained by immersion UT method for materials either with relatively high wave speed or with relatively small Poisson's ratio. This technique thus will be suitable fur ceramics or high strength materials.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 1990

Comparison of acoustic emission, ultrasonic testing and crack gauge in 3-point bending testing have been studied. As the results, COD is indirectly assumed by strain gauge rate and grid pitch width when crack gauge grid is out. Acoustic emission is qualitatively able to measure crack growth by total count but ultrasonic testing has a difficulty in measuring it because of echo height fluctuation according to the change and pressure of UT. probe.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.190-194
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• 2003

Two different types of nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques were employed to investigate the tensile behavior of ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). Two NDE methods, ultrasonic testing (UT) and infrared (IR) thermography, were used to assess defects and/or damage evolution before and during mechanical testing. Prior to tensile testing, a UTC-scan and a xenon flash method were performed to obtain initial defect information in light of UT C-scans and thermal diffusivity maps, respectively. An IR camera was used for in-situ monitoring of progressive damages. The IR camera measured temperature changes during tensile testing. This paper has presented the feasibility of using NDE techniques to interpret structural performance of CMCs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.431-437
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• 2000

Standard Test Block(STB) for UT(Ultrasonic Testing) is a block approved by authoritative for material, shape and quality. STB is used for characteristic tests, sensitivity calibration and control of the time base range of UT inspection devices. The material, size and chemical components of STB should be strictly controled to meet the related standards such as ASTM and JIS because it has an effect upon sensitivity, resolution and reproductivity of UT. The STBs which are not approved are sometimes used because the qualified STBs are very expensive. So, the purpose of this study is to survey the characteristics, quality and usability of Non-Standardized Test Blocks. Non-Standardized Test Blocks did not meet the standard requirements in size or chemical components, and ultrasonic characteristics. Therefore if the Non-Standardized Test Blocks are used without being tested, it's likely to cause errors in detecting the location and measuring the size of the defects.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.270-279
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• 2003

Parametric studies have been conducted into the variability of the factors affecting the ultrasonic testing applied to weldments. The influence of ultrasonic equipment, transducer parameters, test technique, job parameters, defect type and characteristics on reliability far defect detection and sizing was investigated by experimentation. The investigation was able to build up substantial bank of information on the reliability of manual ultrasonic method for testing weldments. The major findings of the study separate into two parts, one dealing with correlation between ultrasonic techniques, equipment and defect parameters and inspection performance effectiveness and other with human factors. Defect detection abilities are dependent on the training, experience and proficiency of the UT operators, the equipment used, the effectiveness of procedures and techniques.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2015

Nuclear power plant contain many dissimilar metal welds that connect carbon steel components with stainless steel pipes using alloy600 welding materials. Primary water stress corrosion cracks at dissimilar metal welds have been continuously reported around the world. In periodic integrity evaluations, dissimilar metal welds are examined using a generic ultrasonic testing procedure, KPD-UT-10. In this procedure, the gap between the probe and examination surface is limited to 1/32 inch (0.8mm). It is not easy to test some dissimilar metal welds in Korean plants applying ordinary technology because of their tapered shapes and irregular surface conditions. This paper introduces a method for applying a flexible phased array technology to improve the reliability of ultrasonic testing results for various shapes and surface conditions. The artificial flaws in specimens with irregular surfaces were completely detected using the flexible phased array ultrasonic technology. Therefore, it can be said that the technology is applicable to field examination.