Detection of structural defects in pipes using time reversal of guided waves

Abstract

Structural health monitoring of buried pipelines is of vital importance as infrastructures age. Ultrasonic guided waves are a popular method for inspecting buried pipes, due to their potential for long propagation. Unfortunately, the large number of wave modes present, and the effects of dispersion, in a pipeline make analysis of the received signals difficult. We plan to use Time Reversal Acoustics to compensate for these complex signals, and improve performance for the detection of faults in a pipeline. We will present theoretical performance results for conventional and Time Reversal detectors, verified with simulations conducted in PZFlex. Time Reversal shows a potential for a reduction in the power requirements of a fault detection system.