Time-of-flight diffraction (TOFD) technique for accurate sizing of surface-breaking cracks

Abstract

This paper deals with an experimental study for evaluation of TOFD technique for determination of size of the surface breaking cracks. The study was confined to simulated cracks. The steel test blocks used for the study contained 0.5mm wide vertical slits of various heights ranging from 0.91mm to 30mm. Another set of blocks contained inclined slits (10°, 15°) inclination of various heights ranging from 2.56mm to 19.82mm. Both the vertical and inclined slits were opened to the top surface. TOFD equipment Model MICROPLUS of M/S AEA Technology, UK with manual scanner along with longitudinal angle beam probes of 45° - 4MHz were used for the study. The blocks were scanned along the slits / defects and across the slits. The scanned images were analysed for the sizing. The results of the study indicated an average error of ±0.13 for depth in vertical slits and ±0.05 for inclined slits whereas the average error in length measured was ±0.36mm for vertical slits and ±0.29mm for inclined slits. However difficulty was experienced using TOFD to size defects extending less than about 2mm depth. This is due to the presence of the lateral wave, which obscures the tip-diffracted signals from the defects close to the surface and also due to the inherent lack of time resolution near the surface.