Method and apparatus for short term inspection or long term structural health monitoring

• Main Authors: LIGHT GLENN M, SPINKS, JR. ROBERT L, KWUN HEGEON, KIM SANG-YOUNG
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.05.2002
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MEASURING; PHYSICS; TESTING

A method and apparatus is shown for implementing magnetostrictive sensor techniques for the nondestructive short term inspection or long term monitoring of a structure. A plurality of magnetostrictive sensors are arranged in parallel on the structure and includes (a) a thin ferromagnetic strip that has residual magnetization, (b) that is coupled to the structure with a couplant, and (c) a coil located adjacent the thin ferromagnetic strip. By a transmitting coil, guided waves are generated in a transmitting strip and coupled to the structure and propagate along the length of the structure. For detection, the reflected guided waves in the structure are coupled to a receiving strip and are detected by a receiving magnetostrictive coil. Reflected guided waves may represent defects in the structure.