SISOM 2007 and Homagial Session of the Commission of Acoustics, Bucharest 29-31 May

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF ULRASONIC WAVE PROPAGATION

WITH WEDGED TRANSDUCERS
Cristian RUGINA
Institute of Solid Mechanics, Romanian Academy, e-mail: cristi@imsar.bu.edu.ro
The numerical simulation of ultrasonic wave propagation are useful in nondestructive testing as a tool
for a better understanding the signals captured on defect scopes screens. The method used L.I.S.A
similar to the classical finite difference method, in the 2D case. The model of the ultrasonic
transducer used in simulation is described, and its parameters determined. A comparison between
numerical results and experimental data is done on a real case of nondestructive testing.
1. INTRODUCTION
The practical applications of elastic waves propagation [1], [2], [3], can be found, mainly, in Ultrasonic
Nondestructive Testing (Ultrasonic NDT) and Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation (Ultrasonic NDE). In
industry, with Ultrasonic NDT, flaws (void, inclusions, cracks, corrosion, etc) in elastic bodies can be
detected. The Ultrasonic NDT consists in the creation of short pulses of elastic wave (<4s), by inverse
piezoelectric effect, at the border of the tested elastic body, by means of ultrasonic transducers.
The numerical method used is a variant of the finite difference method [4], named L.I.S.A [5], [6], [7], [8]
- (Local Interaction Simulation Approach). It generates recurrence relation for the elastic wave propagation
simulation in homogeneous medium. It also generates recurrence relations for the propagation simulation
through interfaces of elastic media with elastic properties that differ, by imposing continuity conditions for
displacements and forces at the interfaces. The recurrence relations can be easily obtained in the 1D, 2D and
3D case. The 2D case [6], [7]. The one of an elastic wave propagation simulation, in a cross section of the
tested elastic body, is the best compromise between computation resource and results.
To validate the numerical method a comparison between the results of the numerical simulation of
ultrasonic wave propagation with experimental results in real cases of ultrasonic NDT will be presented. The
experimental electrical signals given by the transducers are introduced in the computer by the setup,
containing a defect scope Krautkramer USD 10 and a Fluke Combiscope PM3380A. In the experiments the
transducers have normal incidence and are used in "pulse-echo" mode. To introduce the signal generated by
ultrasonic transducers in numerical simulations, a simplified model of the transducer is taken into account
and will be presented in the second part of the paper. The comparison with experimental results is done on
bodies with holes, a simplified case corresponding to the NDT case of the propagation of ultrasonic waves
and reflection from a cavity, similar to the usual cases of ultrasonic nondestructive testing. The numerical
simulation of ulrasonic wave propagation with normal transducers was presented in [9].
2. THE NUMERICAL METHOD
The method used for solving the direct problem is LISA [1], [2], method similar to the finite difference
method, but who takes into account the physical properties in the cells delimited by the discretization grid.
The wave equation is:
( )
,

l klmn m n k
S w w = , , , , 1, 2,3 k l m n = , (1)
Numerical simulation of Ulrasonic wave Propagation with wedged transducers

501
where - displacements, - density and - stiffness tensor, w S
( )
a
x

is denoted ( )
a
or ( )
,a
when the
implicit summation convention is used, and
2
2
a
w
t

is denoted (
a
w 1, 2, 3 a = ).
In the 2D case the wave equation becomes:
( )
, , ,
1, 2 2, 1
k k kk k hh h kh k
w w w w k h + + = = = , (2)
where , , , ,
1 1111
S =
2 2222
S =
1122
S =
1212
S =

= + , S - the stiffness tensor; - materials density.
The discretization steps are and on both directions in space and in time. The materials
physical properties in each grid cell are the elastic constants and the materials density ( , , , , , ).
These physical properties are supposed to be constant within each cell.
1

2

The material displacement are denoted in the direction and in the direction, at the t
time step in the grid point . Omitting the subscripts whenever equal to , or
, , t i j
u x
, , t i j
v y
( , ) i j t i j , and using the
following index conventional notation:
1 - , 2 - ( 1 ( 1, 1) i j + + , 1) i j + , 3 - ( 1, 1) i j , 4 - ( 1, 1) i j + ,
5 - , 6 - ( , , 7 - ( 1, ) i j + 1) i j + ( 1, ) i j , 8 - ( , 1) i j ,
the method gives, for the homogeneous case (all the cells around a grid point ( , have the same physical
properties), the recurrences formulas:
) i j
1 1 5 7 1 6 8 1 1 1 2 3 4 1
1 2 6 8 2 5 7 2 2 1 2 3 4 1
( ) ( ) 2( 1) ( )
( ) ( ) 2( 1) ( )
t t
t t
u u u u u u v v v v u
v v v v v v u u u u v
+
+
= + + + + + +
= + + + + + +
,
.

(3)
where
2 2 2
2 2
1 2

( 1, 2), ( 1, 2; 3 ),
4
k k
k k
k h
k k h k = = = = = = .
(4)
For the inhomogeneous case (at least one of the four cell cells around the grid point have
different physical properties) the recurrences formulas are:
( , ) i j
( ) ( ) ( )
(1) (1) 2 (
5 6 7 8
1 1 5 6 7 8 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 2 1 2 1 2
4 4
' ' ' '
5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8
1 1
1 2 1 2 1 2
(2) (2) 2
5 6 7 8
1 1 5 6 7 2 2 2
1 2 1

2 2

1 1 1
1
1)

,
1 ,
4 4

2

t t
k k
k k k
i i
t t
u u u u u u u u
v v g v g v g v g
v v v v v v
+
= =
+

= + + + + +

+ + + + +

= + + + +

v
( ) ( ) ( )
(2)
8 2 2 2
2 2 1
4 4
' ' ' '
5 5 6 6 7 7 8 8
1 1 1 2 1 2 1 2

2 ,

1 1 1
1 1 .
4 4
k k
k k k
i i
v v
u u g u g u g u
= =

+

+ + + +

g u
(5)
where
4
1
1

4
k
i =
=

, ( )
k k k
= + 1, 2,3, 4 k = ,
( ) ( )
(1)
1 1111

k
k k
S = = , ( ) ( )
(2)
2 2222

k
k k
S = = 1, 2,3, 4 k = ,
(6)
Cristian RUGIN
502
( ) ( )
( )
1 1 (1)
5 4 1
1

2
= + ,
( ) ( )
( )
2 2 (2)
6 1
1

2
= +
2
,
( ) ( )
( )
1 1 (1)
7 3
1

3
2
= + ,
( ) ( )
( )
2 (2)
8 3 4
= + ,
2
1
2
( )
5 4 1
1

2
= + , ( )
6 1
1

2
= +
2
, ( )
7 2
1

2
= + ,
3
( )
8 3
1

2
= + ,
4
( )
k k k
g = ( ) 1.. k = . 4 ,
' ' ' '
5 4 1 5 1 2 7 2 3 8 3 4
, , , g g g g g g g g g g g = g = = =


3. COMPARISON BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTED RESULTS
The ex ultrasonic
wave propagation, with experimental data is presented in fig. 3.1. The defect scope Krautkramer USD 10
ge

perimental setup used to compare the results obtained by the numerical simulation of
nerates electric pulse and "listen" the echoes. But this specialized apparatus shows on his screen the
captured signal, modified for an easier interpretation of results by authorized persons. For the recording and
transmission of the raw signals in digital form, the Combiscope Fluke 3380A was connected to the
transducer and also to a PC by a serial interface RS232, so that real experimental signals could be compared
with those obtained by numerical simulation.



Krautkramer USD 10 Fluke PM3380A
Combiscope
Defect scope


Analized body
Transducer
Computer
with RS-232
serial port

Fig. 3.1. The experimental setup used to compare experimental results with computed results.

The used tran amer MPU-
045/4 (fig. 3.2).
sducer is with normal incidence and is an equivalent of the transducer Krautkr
piezoelement
Damping material Absorbing Boundary Conditions

Plexiglass Signal source
24 mm
h
l

Plexiglass
h
24 mm
Signal source
l

a b c
Fig. 3.2. Transducer Krautkramer MPU-045/4 (a), compo parts of the transducer (b)
The model of the transducer, as a done; some effects as dispersion
and high attenuation had to be neglected. The thin film of couplant is not taken into account explicitly in the
tran
nent
and equivalent model used in simulations (c).

complex device, could not totally be
sducer model, but implicitly. The transducers produced by different firms are encapsulated and the
elastic properties and geometric dimensions of the component parts are partially secrets and cannot be
measured without destroying the transducer. But the firms give in the their documentation the spectrum and
the shape of the signal present at the active surface of the transducer, essential elements in the transducer's
modeling.
Even if the waveform is indicated by the producers, the waveform of the signal introduced in simulations
Numerical simulation of Ulrasonic wave Propagation with wedged transducers

503
( ) s t is to be determined, depending on the used couplant. I considered a signal that approximate very well
the measured signal. The signal ( ) s t has been obtained from a sinusoidal signal of frequency f , but of
finite length, modulated with 2 functions,
1
1
( )
a t
f t e

= and
2
2
( ) 1
a t
f t e

= , definite
for 0 _ _ t t emission transducer . The first function
1
( ) f t characterizes a low band pass filter and the
second function ( )
2
f t characterizes a high band pass filter. T ct produces a pass band filter, similar
to t er. So, the analytical expression of the signal ( )
heir produ
he one the transd produced by uc s t is:
( )
1 2
( ) (1 ) sin 2
a t a t
s t A e e f t

= , (7)
where A,
1
a ,
2
a , f , _ _ t emission transducer are the signals parameters.
e resonance frequ In our case the transducer has th ency of 4MHz (
6
4 10 f Hz = ). The parameter
ransducer has been taken 10 s into account were
A
_ _ t emis ion t . The other parameters of the signal taken s
4.4 = ,
6
0.6 10 a = ,
6
2
1.2 10 a
1
= .
elocities of longitudinal and transversal waves in steel has been taken
59 d 0
The propagation v
33 /
l
v m , an 313 / v m s = . The steel density has been taken kg m = .
holes (fig. 3.3.a) with geometrical dimensi tion (fig. 3.3.b).
( ) steel ( ) l steel ( ) steel
The comparison between experiment and numerical simulation has been done with an steel body with
ons that have been used in computa
s
3
7700 /



38 mm
19 mm
44 mm

a b
Fig. 3.3. The experimental setup with the posit e transducer MPU-045/4 on a steel body with holes (a)
and the geome in s tak n imulation (b).

ion of th
trical shape ection, with the transducers positioning, e in s

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
-0.4
-0.2
0
0.2
0.4
s
V

Fig. 3.4. Graphical representation of the measured signal (red) and of the simulated signal (black)

Graphical r n in fig 3.4.
The sources of errors are geometrical imperfection of the cylinder (bevel cant of the cylinder, approximate
pa
epresentation of the measured and simulated signal, and their envelopes are show
rallelism of the cylinder surfaces, rugosity of the surfaces) imperfect position of the transducer (bad
concentricity of the transducer and cylinder, approximate parallelism of the transducer's and cylinder's
actives surfaces due to the coupling medium). These geometrical and positioning differences between the
simulated (ideal) case and the experimental (real) case, compared to the wavelength of the ultrasonic wave
Cristian RUGIN
504
can lead to this kind of errors.
The duration between 0s 36s can be considered sufficient, because in ultrasonic NDT only the
wav
in fig 3.4 that in the first part, 0s 10s, the measured and computed signals are very
diff
n in this case, in fig 3.5 we represented
the
e's firsts reflections give the majority of information. As it can be seen in figs 3.5 and 3.6, the scattering
of the ultrasonic wave after multiple reflections and mode conversions, make unusable the signal after these
firsts reflections.
It can be seen
erent. This corresponds to the generation of the ultrasonic wave, and the transducer's model differs very
much from the real transducer. But this part of the signal is not interesting in the NDT, the important things
being the firsts reflections. The purpose of the modeled transducers is to generate into the material a
simulated ultrasonic wave that approximate very well the real ultrasonic wave, so that the reflections and
mode conversions phenomena are as close as possible to the reality.
For a visual appreciation of the ultrasonic elastic wave propagatio
field of the displacements modulus at different time steps, and in fig 3.6 the field of displacements by it's
two components u and v (transversal and longitudinal) at the same time steps. These snapshots at different
time steps or movies of propagation can explain very well the propagation phenomena that take place in the
tested elastic body and so the signal shape on defect scopes screens.
6.0 s

12.0 s

18.0 s

20.0 s


Fig. 3.5. The computed field of the displacements modulus of an ultrasonic wave propagation
in a steel body with hole having dimensions presented in fig 3.3.





Numerical simulation of Ulrasonic wave Propagation with wedged transducers

505
6.0 s

12.0 s

18.0 s

20.0 s

v u
Fig. 3.6. The computed field of the displacements, by its longitudinal v and transversal u components,
of ultrasonic wave propagation in an steel body with hole having dimensions presented in fig 3.3.


Acknowledgements: The author is grateful to NATIONAL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH COUNCIL for
financial support by the grants CNCSIS nr.120/2006 and nr.55/2007.

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