Applying an Ultrasonic Lamb Wave Based Technique to Testing the Condition of V96ts3T12 Aluminum Alloy.

Possibilities offered by an ultrasonic inspection technique that is based on using Lamb waves for monitoring the state of metal materials under static and cyclic loading have been studied. Dogbone V96ts3T12-aluminum-alloy specimens of the following two types have been used for research: initial material and a sample with a weld at the working zone center. The digital-image correlation method has been used as an additional source of information. Based on the tests, dependences of various informative parameters of acoustic vibrations on the applied load (for static tests) and running time (for cyclic tests) have been obtained. These dependences have been further supplemented with the results of calculation of deformation fields. The data gathered indicate sensitivity of the proposed ultrasonic inspection technique to various (elastic and plastic) deformation processes and allow one to monitor the growth of cracks under cyclic tests. Further development of the method assumes its examination from the viewpoint of embedded testing systems (the Structural Health Monitoring concept). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]