Generalized Fuzzy Enhancement of Image for Radiographic Testing Weld

ZHANG Xiao-guang
1,2
GAO Ding
1
XU Jian-jian
2

1
College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering of China University of Mining & Technology,
Xuzhou, 221008, P.R China
2
Institute of Applied Physics Nanjing university, Nanjing 210093, P.R China
E-mail: doctorzxg@163.com


Abstract

Since radiographic testing weld image possesses
several shortcomings, such as bad contrast ratio,
narrow range of grayscale and fuzzy image, common
enhancement method can not improve contrast ratio
and at the same time preserve edges well. Fuzzy
enhancement does not modify pixel graylevel in the
fuzzy feature space just like histogram and can obtain
high-definition image output. In this paper, on the basis
of analyzing disadvantages of traditional fuzzy
enhancement algorithm a generalized fuzzy
enhancement algorithm is put forward. This algorithm
can map the image to the generalized fuzzy space
through involving the concept of generalized fuzzy set.
At the same time, subsection sine function is chosen as
fuzzy membership. Using the characteristics of
generalized fuzzy transition with big range, image can
obtain satisfactory enhancement effect through
processing the radiographic testing image with
generalized fuzzy enhancement algorithm. And this
paper also introduces the method of fuzzy entropy to
evaluate the enhancement effect and analyze the
characteristics of sine membership function and
generalized fuzzy enhancement operator.

1. Introduction

Image enhancement is a digital processing method
which does its best to improve image vision and makes
the image adapt to be processed by computer. It really
enhances some information inside the image selectively
and restrains the other ones, in this way, it is easy to
detect and recognize useful information. At present the
methods of image enhancement aim at the problem, that
is to say, one special purpose corresponds to one
special processing method, the image quality after
enhancement is evaluated mainly by person vision.
Therefore, visual evaluation is a high subjective process

[12]
.
Radiographic testing is a widely useful method of
quality inspection, which can be made use of in so
many fields such as welding, casting, forging and so on.
Using radiographic testing image can determine the
type, position and size of defects inside the workpiece
in order to judge whether the workpiece is eligible. In
radiographic testing, since the image is always affected
by the imaging device, environment and photographic
dose, there are many shortcomings, such as low contrast
ratio, narrow grayscale, bad resolution and so on. It
does difficulty to judge and recognition the testing
results.
The enhancement method of weld image was put
forward based on matching filter in reference [3], which
was not good to process illumination asymmetry. Sun
Zhong-cheng. etc put forward a nonlinear S-T grayscale
transform method after the processing of noise
reduction to the radiographic testing image
[4]
. This
method can improve remarkably the contrast ratio of
testing image and has better enhancement effects on
defects inside the weld, but it can also make the original
image fuzzier and lose some useful details. The effect is
not satisfactory.
In this paper, aiming at the characteristics of
radiographic testing image, a generalized fuzzy
enhancement algorithm is put forward after analyzing to
the shortcomings of the fuzzy enhancement algorithm
by S.K.Pal. This algorithm maps the image from the
image space to the generalized fuzzy space through
involving the concept of generalized fuzzy set. Make
use of the wide range of generalized fuzzy set in
processing contrast ratio enhancement, remove some
uncertainties in image, map object and background of
generalized fuzzy function into high graylevel region,
and preserve the edge graylevel between object and
background. In addition, in order to evaluate quality of
image quantitatively and be convenient for comparing
the improving degree of image enhancement, fuzzy
entropy is involved in comparing and evaluating effect
of image enhancement.

2. Basic idea and algorithm of generalized
fuzzy enhancement

2.1. The shortcomings of traditional fuzzy
enhancement

The value of image function f(m, n) is affected by a
lot of uncertainty factors, among them some are random,
others belong to subjective judge. In the model put
forward by S.K.Pal etc in enhanced image by using
fuzzy set, fuzzy INT Contrast Intensification
Operatoris adopted to enhance image. The image is
transformed from spatial plane into fuzzy
characteristics plane, and then processed. The method
of image enhancement which is similar to the
processing method of spatial domain, which modified
image graylevel, based on fuzzy characteristic of the
image.
According to fuzzy set theory, an image with MN
pixels of L grayscales can be seen as a fuzzy matrix
( MN ), which is denoted as follows
[5-6]
:
UU
m n
mn mn
X P X / = m=12Mn=1
2,N
where the P
mn
/X
mn
denotes that fuzzy membership
function of image pixel (m,n) is P
mn
which is defined as
follows:
c
F
d
mn
mn mn
F
X X
X G P

+ = = ) 1 ( ) (
max
1
where the X
max
is maximized graylevel value of image X,
the graylevel of P
mn
=0.5 is called crossover point, F
d

and F
c
are fuzzy factors of index and reciprocal
respectively. Those fuzzy factors can change the fuzzy
measure in P domain, values of which can be
determined by crossover point.
The fuzzy contrast intensification operators are
adopted in image processing, which can modify image
pixel and then get the aim of contrast intensification.
The fuzzy contrast intensification operator is defined as
follows:

= = =

1 5 . 0 , ) 1 ( 2 1
5 . 0 0 , ) ( 2
) (
) 1 (
) 1 (
) ( '
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
r
mn mn r mn
P P
P P
P P T P
2
where ) (
r
T is r-time iterative operation to the function
T. The image X of fuzzy enhancement can be obtained,
after
'
mn
P transformed for r times is inversion
transform. Fuzzy enhancement algorithm put forward
by S.K.Pal is denoted as follows:

Figure 1 The Sketch of S.K.Pal Fuzzy enhancement
algorithm

The fuzzy enhancement is implemented in the fuzzy
characteristic plane, with the help of contrast
intensification operator (INT). After operated for
limited iterative, image can be enhanced obviously (the
graylevel of P
mn
>0.5 is enlarged, and the graylevel of
P
mn
<0.5 is reduceed ). When r, an image is
transformed into a binary image. When X
mn
=0, P
mn
is
minimal, which is recorded as . Seen from (1) and (2) ,
the domain
mn
P dont fall at [0,1], but fall at [ ,1].
But after the enhancement, because
'
mn
P
, the
characteristics domain of ) (
r
T enhancement transform,
may include such region, namely
'
mn
P < .Therefore,
enhancement processing is accomplished in P domain,
and inversive transformed into space domain. We rule
that when
'
mn
P < ,
'
mn
P = . X
mn
of which has 0
grayscale. namely
) (
' 1 '
mn mn
P T X

= 1 '
mn
P
The image Xobtained from above processing is
enhanced image, which causes a result that many low
graylevel of enhanced Xare modified into 0 graylevel.
Sequentially, the some low graylevel information of
original image is lost and edge quality is influenced.

2.2. The basic concept of generalized fuzzy
enhancement

According to reference
[7]
, the generalized fuzzy set
is defined as follows:

=
U x
A
x x A / ) ( or )} ), ( {( U x x A
A
=
where ] 1 , 1 [ ) ( x
A
and is called generalized
membership function in domain U.
If the U is a finite domain that constituted by finite
element, namely U={ x
1
, x
2
, , x
n
}, generalized fuzzy
set is defined as follows:
U
L
n
i i
i A
n
n A A A
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
A
1 2
2
1
1
) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
=
= + + + =


where ) (
i A
x is called as generalized membership
of X
i
to A.
Seen from the above definition, generalized fuzzy
set is an extension of common fuzzy set, which means
that the ] 1 , 0 [ ) (
i A
x (membership of common fuzzy
set) is extended to
] 1 , 1 [ ) (
i A
x
(generalized fuzzy
set). So in the application of the image processing, the
generalized fuzzy set has more stretcher and transform
than common fuzzy set does.

2.3. The algorithms of generalized fuzzy
enhancement

In order to transform image from space domain
mn
X

into
mn
P of fuzzy characteristics domain, a map T
(membership function) must be found, making
) (
mn mn
X T P =
. The methods used to select T are plenty,
but it must satisfy the following necessary condition:
For P X
T
,
] 1 , 1 [
mn
P
and
) , , 1 ; , , 1 ( / N n M m P X P
mn mn
L L = = , If
mn
X
is the
monotonous variety, then
mn
P is monotonous variety.
According to generalized fuzzy set definition, the map
(membership function) is designed in the paper, which
adopts a sine function and is defined as follows:
G(X
mn
)
Input
X
mn

Output
X
mn

G
-1
(X
mn
) T
r
(P
mn
)

< +

= =
c mn
h
mn
c mn
L
mn
mn mn
X X
D
X X
X X
D
X X
X T P
] 1 ) 1 (
2
[sin
2
1
] 1 ) 1 (
2
[sin
2
1
) (
max
min

(3)

). 2 / ) (
, 2 / ) ( ; , , 2 , 1 ; , , 2 , 1 (
min
max
c L
c h
X X D
X X D N n M m
=
= = = L L

The X
max
and X
mi n
mean the maximum and minimum
graylevel value of the imgae X respectively, the X
c
is an
adjustable parameter.
The purpose of extracting image fuzzy
characteristics P
mn
is to reduce fuzzy quality of image,
increase contrast ratio, and make image have better
visual effect by a series of operations. After generalized
fuzzy space transform, an enhancement factor (INT) is
introduced to decrease the fuzzy degree of image, and
to enhance image contrast ratio in fuzzy space. The
definition of enhancement factor introduced in this
paper is as follows:

<
<
< + +
= =

1 5 . 0 ) 1 ( 2 1
5 . 0 0 2
0 5 . 0 | | 2
5 . 0 1 ) 1 ( 2 1
) (
1
1
1
1
'
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn
r
mn r mn
P P
P P
P P
P P
P T P
(4)
where the operator in this expression is recursion, and
) (
mn r
P T
is the recursion calling of
1
T
for r times.
After
'
mn
P
is inversely transformed for r times, fuzzy
enhancement image X can be obtained. When r, a
binary image can be obtained by ) (
mn r
P T . When
) (
mn r
P T
is operated for finite recursion calling, image
with better enhancement effect can be obtained. From
here, the algorithm of generalized fuzzy enhancement
can be obtained as follows:
Step1: Mapping graylevel of image X MN
pixels L grayscale from spatial domain to fuzzy
characteristics domain P
mn
by formula (3).
Step 2: On the fuzzy feature plane, according to
formula (4), carrying out the generalized fuzzy
enhancement transform
r
T , making enhancement fuzzy
feature ) (
'
mn r mn
P T P = .
Step 3: The membership
'
mn
P
transformed for r times
transform is inversely transformed through the inverse
function of the formula (3), and mapped to gray image
of two-dimensional spatial domain, getting generalized
enhancement image X the
'
mn
X
graylevel of pixel
mn in image X is donated as follows

c mn
mn H
H mn
c mn
mn L
L mn
X X
P D
D X X
X X
P D
D X X

+ =
<

+ =

2
) 1 2 ( sin
2
) 1 2 ( sin
' 1
max
'
' 1
min
'

(5)

2.4. The evaluation of fuzzy enhancement

In addition, in order to evaluate quality of image
quantitatively and be convenient for comparing the
improving degree of image enhancement, fuzzy entropy
Hxis involved in comparing and evaluating effect
of image enhancement
[8]
. The fuzzy entropy is a kind of
evaluation of image fuzzy degree, which reflects the
strong or weak of fuzzy degree.
Supposing that the number of fuzzy set P element is
n, the entropy is defined as follows:

=
=
n
i
i
P S
n
P H
1
)] ( [
2 ln
1
) (
S () in the above formula is Shannon function.
When applying the above formula to two-
dimensional image planes, the fuzzy entropy of the
image is:

= =
=
M
m
N
n
mn
P S
MN
P H
1 1
) (
2 ln
1
) ( (6)
where S (P
mn
) = -|P
mn
|ln| P
mn
|- 1-|P
mn
| ln1-
|P
mn
|, the S(P
mn
) is used to measure uncertainty of
image pixels. When P
mn
=0 or P
mn
=1, the uncertainty
of S (P
mn
) is minimum. When the P
mn
=0.5, the S (P
mn
)
is a maximum, and the uncertainty is maximum. The
H( P) can be seen as fuzzy average measure value of
relevant pixel graylevel. That is to say, uncertainty is
fuzzy character. The more bigger H( P) is, the more
fuzzy image is. After the image enhancement transform,
the fuzzy value of entropy will be changed towards
deceasing direction.

3. The algorithm analysis of generalized
fuzzy enhancement

3.1. The membership function curve

According to formula (3), traditional fuzzy
enhancement is a type of exponent membership
function. Figure 2(a) shows a curve of index
membership function. In order to increase contrast ratio,
when the F
d
and F
c
are selected to be deferent values,
black graylevel(white graylevel) is compressed and
white graylevel (black graylevel) is extended according
to the relation of index, difference of which are
ascending trend of curve and crossing point.
The membership function adopted in this paper is
subsection membership function of sine, which is
shown in figure 2(b). Seen from the figure, when
X
m
=X
c
P
mn
=0. When
2 / ) (
max c mn
X X X + =
P
mn
=0.5.
When
2 / ) (
min c mn
X X X + =
P
mn
=-0.5. Because the
sine function has some characters such as big change in
the middle section and little change in other sections,
sine membership function adopted compresses black
graylevel and expands white one accordingly. Seen
from results of processing, the sine membership
function has better effects.


























Figure 2 The curve of membership function
( a-- exponent membership function, b-- subsection sine
membership function)

3.2. Enhancement function curve

Figure 3 shows the relationship curve of
'
mn
P
and
mn
P
,
where "o" denotes the relationship of traditional fuzzy
enhancement algorithm between
'
mn
P
and
mn
P
, -
denotes the relationship of generalized fuzzy
enhancement algorithm between
'
mn
P
and
mn
P
. The
enhancement range of traditional fuzzy enhancement is
[ 1]. Seen from the figure, the operator of
traditional fuzzy enhancement and generalized fuzzy
enhancement superposition in range of [ 1] and
generalized fuzzy enhancement only expands the
interval of
'
mn
P
. In this paper, the interval of generalized
fuzzy enhancement is [-11], which locates its center
at zero and increases its contrast ratio at close interval
of
5 . 0 =
mn
P
. Therefore, the algorithm does not lose
detailed information as traditional fuzzy enhancement.
Another fuzzy set can be produced from contrast
intensification operator (INT). From formula (4), INT
has qualities as follows:
When r + , there is

<
=
< <
<
=
<
=
1 5 . 0 , 1
5 . 0 , 5 . 0
5 . 0 0 , 0
0 5 . 0 , 0
5 . 0 , 5 . 0
5 . 0 1 , 1
'
mn
mn
mn
mn
mn
mn
mn
P
P
P
P
P
P
P

From the INT quality, after recursion of finite times,
the image has good effect of enhancement.
Figure 4 shows the curve of relation between
'
mn
P
and
mn
P
. Seen from the Figure 4, with the
increasing of r, the INT curve changes abrupt at the
crossing point (
5 . 0 =
mn
P
), which means that graylevel
INT operator can change lower at |
mn
P
|<0.5 point than
0.5< |
mn
P
|<1. When r enlarges, because of increase of
times for INT operator , image tends into binary image
and loses its fuzzy charcter.

4. The experimental result and analysis

(a)
X
mn

P
mn

(b)
X
mn

P
mn

'
mn
P
mn
P
Figure 3 The relation curve (r=4) of
'
mn
P
and
mn
P
r
increase
r
increase
'
mn
P
X
mn

Figure 4 The relation curve of
'
mn
P
and r
According to the algorithm in this paper,
radiographic testing weld images with lack of
penetration defects are enhanced. Figure 5(a) is a
radiographic testing weld image with lack of
penetration defects, which has fuzzy character after
median filter (55). Figure 5(b) is an image enhanced
by histogram equalization. Figure 5(c) and Figure 5(d)
are images enhanced by traditional fuzzy enhancement
algorithm and generalized fuzzy enhancement
algorithm respectively. In those images, the white
region is weld, and black region is background. In
white region, the black and wide line is lack of
penetration defects. Seen from the image enhanced by
histogram equalization, at the same region, contrast
ratio is increased slightly, at other region, the contrast
ratio is decreased. During the course of equalization,
closer and lesser graylevels are united a graylevel,
which causes decrease of contrast ratio. Although the
image has good enhancement effect, its contrast ratio
does not change obviously. Figure 5(c) is an image
enhanced by traditional fuzzy enhancement algorithm
where r=4 X
mn
=150 F
c
=2 , from which the
contrast ratio is increased obviously, but some lower
graylevels lost. Figure 5(d) is an image enhanced by the
generalized fuzzy enhancement algorithm. Compared
with traditional enhancement and histogram
equalization, the image by generalized fuzzy
enhancement has larger range of graylevel and richer
grayscale than traditional fuzzy enhancement and does
not lose lower graylevel information.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)
Figure 5 The Contrast of Enhancement Effect of
radiographic testing Image with the defect of lack of
penetration
(a--original image, b--histogram equation image, c--
enhancement image using traditional fuzzy enhancement
method r=4, d--enhancement image using the algorithm put
forward in this paper r=4)

In figure 6, figure(a) to figure(c) are original image,
enhancement image using traditional fuzzy
enhancement method and enhancement image using the
method put forward in this paper respectively. To the
figure(c), image grayscale expands and better hierarchy
feeling can be obtained obviously using the method put
forward in this paper than using the one of traditional
fuzzy enhancement.


(a)


(b)


(c)

Figure 6 The Contrast of Enhancement Effect of Industrial
RT Inspection Weld Image
(aoriginal image, benhancement image using traditional
fuzzy enhancement method r=4, cenhancement image
using the algorithm put forward in this paper r=4)

In addition, when the enhancement order increases,
edges reserve obviously and at the same time non-
distinct defects (such as pores under the weld edges)
will lose in the algorithm of generalized fuzzy
enhancement. When r, the image will become
binary image. From the grayscale distribution, if the
sine membership function is adopted, compress black
region and enlarge white region according to the sine
relationship. If the linear one, do it according to the
linear relationship. From the results, the sine
membership function can obtain better effects.
The image is processed by generalized fuzzy
enhancement algorithm, which means remove some
uncertainty of gray image, and decreases fuzzy
character. The fuzzy entropy from Table 1 also denotes
that generalized fuzzy method has better effects than
traditional fuzzy ones and histogram equalization. The
fuzzy entropy decreases rapidly, which means to
decrease image fuzzy character obviously.

Table 1 The fuzzy entropy before and after image
enhancement
Image Processing method Fuzzy entropy
H(P)
Figure
5( a)
Original image 0.8168
Figure
5( b)
Image by histogram
equalization
0.7632
Figure
5( c)
Image by traditional
fuzzy enhancement
0.4163
Figure
5( d)
Image by generalized
fuzzy enhancement
0.1503

5. Conclusion

Aim at many shortcomings such as low contrast ratio,
narrow grayscale, bad resolution and so on. A method
of generalized fuzzy enhancement is put forward in this
paper, which overcomes effectively shortcomings that
the information of middle and low graylevels lose in the
method put forward by S.K.Pal, and makes the edge of
processed image distinctive, and keeps better object
information of low gray, and better enhance
radiographic testing weld image, and improve contrast
ratio. The generalized fuzzy enhancement is used in
enhancement of radiographic testing weld image, which
has a satisfactory result.

6. Reference

[1] GUO Gui-rong, ZHUANG Zhao-wen, The fuzzy
technique in information processing, The national defense
science and technology university publisher, ChangSha, 1991.

[2] TIAN Cun-xiu-xin, The image processing technique of
computer, Peking Normal University publisher, Peking, 1988.

[3] Inoue.Katsunori, Kobayashi, Masafumiv, Automatic
Recognition of Weld Defects in Radiographic Test(Report I)-
Extraction of Feature Parmeters, The Transaction of
JWRI( the Japanese Welding Research Institude),1982,11:(2),
pp.123-132.

[4] SUN Zhong-Cheng, LI He-qi, TAO Wei-dao etc, The
method research of image processing in real-time x-ray
inspection, NDT of china, 1992,14:(2), pp.37-40.

[5] Pal.S.KKing R A, Image enhancement using fuzzy
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[6] Pal.S.K, King R A, Image enhancement using smoothing
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[7] CHEN Wu-fan, The new method in detecting edge of
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[8] GUO Zong-xiang, YANG Hong-quan, The foundation of
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