An ultrasonic sensing technique and a signal interpretation method based on a spectral element multiphase poromechanical approach overcomes critical gaps in permafrost, frozen soil, and saturated soil characterization. Ultrasonic sensing produces high-quality response signals that are sensitive to the soil properties. A transfer function denoting a ratio of induced displacement and applied force in the frequency domain, is independent of the distribution of the stress force applied by the transducer to the sample, and allows interpretation of the measured electrical signal using a theoretical transfer function relation to efficiently determine the most probable properties from response signals using an inverse spectral element multiphase poromechanical approach. This ultrasonic sensing technique enables rapid characterization of soil samples in terms of both physical and mechanical properties. The Quantitative Ultrasound (QUS) system can be used in a laboratory setup or brought on site for in-situ investigation of permafrost, frozen, and saturated soil samples.

A device for use in inspecting a test object is provided. The device can include a body including a first end and a second end. The second end can be opposite the first end. The device can also include a probe receiver located at the first end of the body. The probe receiver can be configured to receive an ultrasonic probe. The device can further include a coupling portion located at the second end of the body. The coupling portion can be configured to position the ultrasonic probe with respect to an axis of force transmission of a test object or normal to one or more material layers of the test object during an ultrasound inspection of the test object. Methods of forming the device and performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object with the device are also provided.

A device for use in inspecting a test object is provided. The device can include a body including a first end and a second end. The second end can be opposite the first end. The device can also include a probe receiver located at the first end of the body. The probe receiver can be configured to receive an ultrasonic probe. The device can further include a coupling portion located at the second end of the body. The coupling portion can be configured to position the ultrasonic probe with respect to an axis of force transmission of a test object or normal to one or more material layers of the test object during an ultrasound inspection of the test object. Methods of forming the device and performing ultrasonic inspection of a test object with the device are also provided.

A compression technique can be used for processing or storage of acquired acoustic inspection data. For example, data indicative of peak values of an A-scan time-series can be stored to provide a compressed representation of such time-series data. A representation of the original A-scan data can be reconstructed, such as using the data indicative of the peak values, and a digital filter. Such an approach can dramatically reduce a volume of data associated an acoustic acquisition, such as a Full Matrix Capture (FMC) acquisition to be used for Total Focusing Method (TFM) beamforming and related imaging.

A shot processing system according to an aspect includes a shot processing apparatus to project shot media, a measurement device output a signal waveform related to a wave generated due to collision of the shot media, a control device to control the shot processing apparatus. The control device includes a processing condition acquisition unit to acquire a required intensity, a control unit to control the shot processing apparatus to cause the shot processing apparatus to perform the shot processing to the measurement device under a first shot condition, an intensity analysis unit to acquire a measured intensity by analyzing the signal waveform output by the shot processing to the measurement device, and a correction unit to correct a shot condition of the shot processing apparatus from the first shot condition to a second shot condition to reduce a difference between the required intensity and the measured intensity.

A system and method for analyzing structural heath data includes a structural body, structural health sensors, and first and second computer systems. The structural health sensors are configured to sense data regarding structures of the structural body. The first computer system is configured to collect the sensed data as the structural health data. The second computer system that includes a user interface and display, and is configured to receive the structural health data and provide interactive transformational analysis of the structural health data. The interactive transformational analysis provides, on the display of the second computer system, a visual representation of the structural health data over time.

A system and method for analyzing structural heath data includes a structural body, structural health sensors, and first and second computer systems. The structural health sensors are configured to sense data regarding structures of the structural body. The first computer system is configured to collect the sensed data as the structural health data. The second computer system that includes a user interface and display, and is configured to receive the structural health data and provide interactive transformational analysis of the structural health data. The interactive transformational analysis provides, on the display of the second computer system, a visual representation of the structural health data over time.

The disclosure relates to a control method of a probe with ultrasonic phased array transducers in a hinge array, and belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic detecting. The control method includes the steps: firstly, fixing a part under test, making a central piezoelectric array element of piezoelectric array elements for the ultrasonic phased array transducers in the hinge array make contact with a surface of the part under test, and then fixing a fixed support; before detection is started, driving the hinge array through voice coil motors to make the piezoelectric array elements completely fit the surface of the part under test, wherein the number of the piezoelectric array elements is 2N+1 (N=1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), and different values of N are selected according to a size of the part under test; with the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as a standard and difference values between values of pressures of other piezoelectric array elements and the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as control signals of respective corresponding voice coil motor coils, controlling output rods to drive the hinge array; keeping the values of pressures of all the piezoelectric array elements consistent by means of an incremental digital PID control method; and then realizing deflecting and focusing of ultrasonic waves by means of a time delay rule for ultrasonic detecting, thereby detecting parts under test with planar or curved surfaces.

The disclosure relates to a control method of a probe with ultrasonic phased array transducers in a hinge array, and belongs to the technical field of ultrasonic detecting. The control method includes the steps: firstly, fixing a part under test, making a central piezoelectric array element of piezoelectric array elements for the ultrasonic phased array transducers in the hinge array make contact with a surface of the part under test, and then fixing a fixed support; before detection is started, driving the hinge array through voice coil motors to make the piezoelectric array elements completely fit the surface of the part under test, wherein the number of the piezoelectric array elements is 2N+1 (N=1, 2, 3, 4 and 5), and different values of N are selected according to a size of the part under test; with the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as a standard and difference values between values of pressures of other piezoelectric array elements and the value of pressure of the central piezoelectric array element as control signals of respective corresponding voice coil motor coils, controlling output rods to drive the hinge array; keeping the values of pressures of all the piezoelectric array elements consistent by means of an incremental digital PID control method; and then realizing deflecting and focusing of ultrasonic waves by means of a time delay rule for ultrasonic detecting, thereby detecting parts under test with planar or curved surfaces.

A system for estimating both thickness and wear state of refractory material (1) of a metallurgical furnace (12), including at least on processor including a database of simulated frequency domain data named simulated spectra representing simulated shock waves reflected in simulated refractory materials of known state and thickness, each simulated spectrum being correlated with both known state and thickness data of the considered simulated refractory material, wherein the at least one processor is configured to record a reflected shock wave as a time domain signal, and to convert it into frequency domain data named experimental spectrum, and are further configured to compare the experimental spectrum with at least a plurality of simulated spectra from the database, to determine the best fitting simulated spectrum with the experimental spectrum and to estimate thickness and state of the refractory material (1) of the furnace (12) using known state and thickness data correlated with the best fitting simulated spectrum.