Nondestructive testing utilizing horizontally polarized shear waves

Abstract

Disclosed is a nondestructive test device for detecting a flaw proximate to a welded seam in a pipe, including an electromagnetic acoustic transmitting transducer for generating a horizontally polarized shear wave in the wall of the pipe, a high frequency generator operatively connected to the transmitting transducer for energizing the transducer, an electromagnetic acoustic receiving transducer for responding to a horizontally polarized shear wave within the wall, an amplifier operatively connected to the receiving transducer for boosting the response signal of the transducer, and an indicating instrument for receiving and displaying the amplified response signal. In the test method disclosed, a horizontally polarized shear wave is generated in the wall, the pipe is monitored to detect a reflected horizontally polarized shear wave, and a time-dependent representation of the amplitude of the reflected wave is displayed. The wave generating, monitoring, and displaying steps are repeated along a length of the pipe to provide a comprehesive flaw inspection of that length of the pipe. The times of arrival of the generated and reflected waves are correlated to determine the circumferential position of the flaw.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.