Inverse Shape Reconstruction of Inner Cavities Using Guided SH-Waves in a Plate

Abstract EN

The paper proposes an inverse reconstruction method for inner cavities in a 2D plate using guided SH-waves.

When a pure incident wave mode is sent toward the flaw area, reflected waves are observed at the far field due to mode conversion.

From wave scattering theory, the reflected wave field is expressed by an integral over the unknown flaw surface concerning the total wave field.

By the introduction of Born approximation and far-field expressions of Green’s function, it is found that the reflection coefficient for the mode of the same order as that of the incident mode is related to the unknown shape of the cavity by Fourier transform relations.

By mathematical deduction, we show that if the basic (0th-order) symmetric and the 1st-order antisymmetric modes are used as incident waves, the locations and shapes of upper and lower boundaries of the cavity can be reconstructed.

Numerical examples are illustrated in the paper, and a proper condition for applying this method is discussed.

The research can act as a basis of nondestructive inspection for latent flaws within more complicated structures.