Lamb Wave Frequency Diverse Array.

The imaging method based on the conventional phased array (PA) can only realize angle focusing. To break through the above limitations, frequency diverse array (FDA) is first introduced from radar to Lamb wave, which opens up a possibility to realize angle–range focusing in damage localization. The energy pattern of FDA without considering the features of radar signals is re-derived, and a corresponding FDA focusing imaging method for Lamb wave is developed. In the presented method, by appending various frequency offsets to the redesigned anti-dispersive excitations, the desired FDA focusing and the dispersion elimination for Lamb wave are achieved simultaneously. Furthermore, based on full matrix capture being the data acquisition approach, a novel total focusing is realized with comprehensive consideration of positive and negative frequency offsets. Benefiting from FDA focusing, compared with the PA methods, the proposed method exhibits superior adjacent defects’ identification ability and preferable interference suppression capability with excellent location accuracy and strong parameter robustness. Its superiority is validated by the experiment on aluminum plate with multiple adjoining surface and inner defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]