System and a method for detecting and characterizing a defect in an object using guided wave inspection

A system for detecting and characterizing a defect in an object, the system comprising:

• a pair of comb-like pattern transducers placed upon the object to be tested in such a manner that a first comb-like pattern transducer is placed at a first end and a second comb-like pattern transducer is placed at a second end of the object, wherein each comb-like pattern transducer comprises an array of source elements is periodically placed;
• at least one control circuitry, coupled with the pair of comb-like pattern transducers, is configured to:
• selectively activate of at least a group of source elements, amongst the array of source elements, of the first comb-like pattern transducer to generate one or more guided waves based on corresponding one or more wavelengths;
• wherein the first comb-like pattern transducer is configured to:
• receive a portion of the one or more guided waves by the second comb-like pattern transducer, and
• receive a remaining portion of the one or more guided waves being reflected back by the first comb-like pattern transducer;
• and
• wherein the system further comprises a processing unit configured to:
• analyze the portion of the one or more guided waves and the remaining portion of the one or more guided waves using a two-dimensional Fast Fourier Transform (2D-FFT) for performing at least one of a frequency-wavenumber domain analysis and a frequency-wavelength domain analysis in order to determine a cut-off frequency;
• calculate a remnant thickness value based on the cut-off frequency;
• and
• detect and characterize the defect in the object based on the remnant thickness value.