Modelling of Ultrasonic Bulk Wave Scattering by an Axial Crack in a Pipe

Journal article, 2017

Modelling of ultrasonic bulk wave scattering by an internal, infinitely long, axial crack in a thick-walled pipe is considered. The problem is formulated as a hypersingular integral equation for the crack-opening displacement (COD), the hypersingularity arises in the Green’s tensor. The COD is expanded in Chebyshev functions which have the correct square-root singularity along the crack edges, thereby regularizing the integral equation. To discretize the integral equation it is likewise projected onto the same Chebyshev functions. A model of an ultrasonic rectangular vertically polarized shear wave contact probe is developed, and the signal response is calculated using a reciprocity argument. Some numerical examples demonstrate the possible application of the method, in particular investigating the importance of the pipe curvature.