A finite element study of the interaction of transient stress waves with planar flaws

Abstract

This paper presents a finite element study of transient wave propagation in plates containing planar flaws. The effects on displacement waveforms caused by waves diffracted from the sharp edges of a flaw are determined. Displacement fields within a plate containing a flat-bottom hole show the interaction of transient stress waves with a planar flaw. Waveforms obtained from the finite element analysis were compared with experimentally obtained waveforms.