2-D Elastodynamic Time-Reversal Analysis for Surface Defects on Thin Plate Using Topological Sensitivity

In recent years, there has been increasing attention on the development of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods using guided waves for long-length materials such as thin plates and pipes. The guided waves are capable of long-distance propagation in thin plates and pipes, and they exhibit properties such as multimodality and dispersion. These characteristics of the guided waves make inspection using guided waves challenging. In this study, we apply a 2-D elastodynamic time-reversal method to detect surface breaking cracks of a thin plate where guided waves are present. The finite element method (FEM) is used to calculate the scattered waves from surface breaking cracks and their corresponding time-reversal waves. We also employ topological sensitivity as an assessment index for detecting surface breaking cracks using the time-reversal method. As numerical examples, we demonstrate guided wave propagation, scattering, and the time-reversal wave propagation obtained by using the FEM. Finally, we present the results of surface breaking crack detection in a thin plate and discuss the validity and effectiveness of the proposed method.