• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2012

Typically, a wedge is involved to generate effectively high inspection angle in pipe weld inspection using phased array ultrasonic technique. But the usage of this wedge for weld or access limited area can cause coverage limitation for the examination volume because of the wedge front length. Therefore, the shear wave phased array probe which can generate high inspection angle without wedge is essentially necessary. In this paper, the shear wave phased array ultrasonic probe which can generate high inspection angle designed by modeling and manufactured from the modelling result. And this shear wave probe tested whether it can detect and sizing for EDM test block that contains various depth. As results, the experimental results show that the designed shear wave phased array probe can detect and size with reliable accuracy. Therefore if this phased array probe apply in field inspection, it is expected that it show more reliable inspection result for plant structure having access limitation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.299-306
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• 2015

A conventional phased array system can control an ultrasonic beam electronically by adjusting the excitation time delay of individual elements in a multi-element probe and produce an ultrasonic image. In Contrast, full matrix capture (FMC) is a data acquisition process that allows receiving ultrasonic signals from one single shot of the phased array transducer element through all the other elements and captures the complete dataset from every possible transmit-receive combination. This FMC data can be used to create the ultrasonic image in post processing. It is possible to produce not only images equivalent to conventional phased array image but also total focusing method (TFM) images with improved resolution and sharpness, which is virtually focused at any point in a region of interest. In this paper, the system that can perform FMC by using a conventional phased array instrument is developed, and a study was conducted on the imaging algorithms to reconstruct sector B-scan and TFM images from FMC dataset.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.1846-1857
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• 2021

Ultrasonic nondestructive testing is important for monitoring the structural integrity of dissimilar metal welds (DMWs) in pressure vessels and piping in nuclear power plants. However, there is a low probability of crack detection via inspection of DMWs using ultrasonic waves because the grain structures (grain orientations) of the weld area cause distortion and splitting of ultrasonic beams propagating in anisotropic media. To overcome this issue, the grain orientation should be known, and a precise ultrasonic wave simulation technique in anisotropic media is required to model the distortion and splitting of the waves accurately. In this study, a method for nondestructive prediction of the DMW grain orientations is presented for accurate simulation of ultrasonic wave propagation behavior in the weld area. The ultrasonic wave propagation behavior in anisotropic media is simulated via finite-element analysis when ultrasonic waves propagate in a transversely isotropic material. In addition, a methodology to predict the DMW grain orientation is proposed that employs a simulation technique for ultrasonic wave propagation behavior calculation and an optimization technique. The simulated ultrasonic wave behaviors with the grain orientations predicted via the proposed method demonstrate its usefulness. Moreover, the method can be used to determine the focal law in DMWs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2009

Space launch vehicles require highly reliable, lightweight structures. It is thus important to monitor the structural health of these components with nondestructive inspections. In this paper, we studied an example of a nondestructive inspection that was partially applied to the manufacture and inspection of a launch vehicle. Ultrasonic tests, X-rays, tapping, and acoustic emissions comprised the inspection method. A payload fairing, high pressure tank, fastener part, and bonding part were used as hardware to be inspected. We proposed a quantitative standard for debonding inspection of the payload fairing and acoustic emission data for the proof test of the high pressure tank. We analyzed the fracture mode of the sandwich fastener part according to frequency changes. We also proposed a standard specimen for ultrasonic inspection of bonds of different materials. The present analyses and results provide data for evaluation of the launch operation sequence to ensure launch vehicles afford high reliability.

• 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.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2000

Ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (UNDE) technique is commonly used for detecting inner defects in the materials. Recently, new methods are trying to apply for detecting surface and subsurface flaws using Rayleigh wave or creeping wave. These techniques, however, have following problems. Echo amplitude is remarkably affected by the surface conditions and discrimination of echo pattern is usually difficult because shear wave propagate in the material at the same time. We can apply surface SH-wave(which is horizontally polarized shear wave traveling along near surface layer) technique to detect surface flaws. In this paper, directivity, distance amplitude characteristics and detectability of surface flaws at fillet weld hills of the 5 MHz and 2 MHz surface flaws at fillet weld hills of the 5 MHz and 2 MHz surface Sh-wave are experimentally investigated. As a result of the study, it was found out that these techniques are valuable for the detection of fatigue cracks at fillet weld heels which can not be detected by other ultrasonic techniques such as angle beam technique and which are inaccessible for non-destructive testings e.g. MT(magnetic particle testing) or PT(liquid penetrant testing).

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.290-295
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• 2000

The joint treatment of concrete is one of the technical problems in top down construction method. Joints created with the top down construction result in serious weakness from the aspects of both structural and water-barrier function. Ultrasonic method was used for the inspection of top down construction joints of a various column in SRC structure in this study. The advantages and limitations of this method for non-destructive inspection in top down construction joints are investigated. As a result, it has been verified that the semi-direct measurement method is more effective than the other methods for detecting the voids of construction joints using ultrasonic method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.358-363
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• 2008

Ultrasonic nonlinearity has been considered as a promising method to evaluate the micro damage of material; however, its magnitude is so small that its measurement is not easy. Thus, in this study, we investigate the effects of such experimental system dependent factors in the measurement of ultrasonic nonlinear parameter by using contact PZT transducer. Experimental results showed that the effect of system dependent nonlinearity is reduced when the contact pressure and transducer input voltage are sufficiently large. These results will be very useful to find out the proper experiment condition to measure rather accurate nonlinear parameter.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.246-253
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• 2002

This paper describes the development and the field application of the ultrasonic gas flowmeter for accurate measurement of the volumetric flow rate of gases in a harsh environmental conditions in iron & steel making company. This ultrasonic flowmeter is especially suited for measuring LDG, COG, BFG gases produced in iron & steel making process. This is a transit time type ultrasonic flowmeter. We have developed the transmitting & receiving algorithm of ultrasonic wave and the ultrasonic signal processing algorithm to develope a transit time type ultrasonic flowmeter. We have evaluated the performance of ultrasonic flowmeter by the calibration system with Venturi type standard flowmeter. We has confirmed its reliability by extensive field tests for a year in POSCO, iron & steel making company. Now we have developed the commercial model of ultrasonic flowmeter and applied to the POSCO gas line.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.401-406
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• 2002

A numerical model is introduced to simulate propagation, reflection, and scattering of elastic waves in solids. The model consists of mass points and linear springs, interconnected with in a lattice structure; hence, its name, the mass-spring lattice model (MSLM). The MSLM has successfully been applied to the numerical simulation and visualization of various elastic wave phenomena involved in ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT). This method is useful to simulate, design, or analyze actual testing. Some representative examples of numerical simulation using the MSLM are presented, and future work necessary for its further development Is addressed.