Detection, localization and characterization of damage in plates with an in situ array of spatially distributed ultrasonic sensors

Permanently attached piezoelectric sensors arranged in a spatially distributed array are under consideration for structural health monitoring systems incorporating active ultrasonic methods. Most damage detection and localization methods that have been proposed are based upon comparing monitored signals to baselines recorded from the structure prior to initiation of damage. To be effective, this comparison process must take into account any conditions other than damage that have changed the ultrasonic signals. Proposed here is a two-step process whereby damage is first detected and is then localized and characterized. The detection strategy considers the long time behavior of the signals in the diffuse-like regime where distinct echoes can no longer be identified. The localization strategy is to generate images of damage based upon the early time regime when discrete echoes from boundary reflections and scattering sites are meaningful. Results are shown for an aluminum plate with artificial damage introduced in combination with temperature variations. The loss of local temporal coherence combined with an optimal baseline selection procedure is shown to be effective for the detection of damage, and a delay-and-sum imaging method applied to the residual signals both localizes the damage and provides characterization information. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)