Pipe Disbondment Detection and Coating Assessment Using the Dynamic Wavelet Fingerprinting Technique

Overview

Main Objective

This Phase I project will provide us with the necessary background and technical results to proceed with the development of a transitionable multi-mode guided wave piping inspection system. The advanced capabilities of the final commercial product will make it cost-efficient, robust and easy-to-use. The proposed multi-mode pipe inspection system has commercial applications not only for the DOT, but also for the DOD, the DOE, and other commercial industries (e.g. -- drinking water and sewage systems, ship building companies, oil and gas companies, and chemical, petrochemical, and pharmaceutical companies).

Public Abstract

Existing pipe inspections are incapable of reliably detecting coating disbonds. Conventional above ground surveys cannot detect disbonds because of shielding conditions, and traditional guided wave inspection systems are unable to reliably detect subtle non-axisymmetric flaws. Finally, most of the advanced ultrasound technology in industry has been focused on inline inspection systems which are inappropriate for un-piggable lines. We have previously demonstrated the ability to extract information about multiple modes from guided wave signals using the dynamic wavelet fingerprinting (DWFP) technique. We are proposing a different type of inspection technique that uses normal incidence transducers to generate feature-rich multi-mode signals as opposed to single axisymmetric of flexural modes. A large portion of this work will be focused on numerically and analytically exploring the complicated propagation of the guided waves in different types of coatings, and scattering from disbondment flaws. Then, with the DWFP multi-mode detection technique and knowledge gained from the numerical and analytical studies, individual modes can be monitored and any changes can be used to detect and localize subtle flaws in complex piping systems.

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