Underwater Pipeline Inspection Using Guided Waves

TLDR

Underwater pipeline inspections use ultrasonic cylindrical guided waves in laboratory settings. The study designs a new transducer holder device to efficiently propagate antisymmetric cylindrical guided waves through aluminum pipes in water. The device employs commercial ultrasonic transducers with an adjustable striking angle (0–51°) and frequency sweeping to record time‑history signals, which are converted to Vf curves for defect type and extent estimation. The new coupler device effectively supports health monitoring of underwater pipelines with guided waves.

Abstract

Underwater pipeline inspections are conducted using ultrasonic cylindrical guided waves in the laboratory environment. Three different types of mechanical defects—gouge, removed metal, and dent—are fabricated in small-diameter, 22.22-mm, aluminum pipes and tested. To efficiently propagate the antisymmetric (flexural) cylindrical guided waves through the aluminum pipe in water, a new transducer holder device is designed. The device uses commercially available ultrasonic transducers that generate compressional ultrasonic waves in the water. The device can change the striking angle of the incident beam from 0 to 51 deg. With the help of this device, the incident angle adjustment and frequency sweeping can be carried out. This is necessary for obtaining the time history of the received signals for various incident angles and signal frequencies; then these time histories are converted to Vf curves, or received signal amplitude versus frequency curves. From the amplitude of these Vf curves, the type and extent of the mechanical defects can be estimated. This investigation shows that the new coupler device can be effectively used for health monitoring of underwater pipelines using guided waves.