Ultrasonic Testing

Part 1

NDTTraining&Certification

Ultrasonic Testing

Course Layout

Duration
:
9 Days
Start
:
8:30 am
Coffee Break :
10:00 10:30 am
Lunch
:
12:30 1:30 pm
Tea Break
:
3:00 3:30 pm
Day End
:
5:00 pm
Course Objective: To train and prepare
participants to obtain required skill and
knowledge in Ultrasonic Testing and to meet the
examination schemes requirements.

NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Examination of materials and components in
such a way that allows material to be
examinated without changing or destroying
their usefulness

NDT
Most common NDT methods:
Penetrant Testing (PT)
Magnetic Particle Testing (MT)

Mainly used for

surface testing

Eddy Current Testing (ET)

Radiographic Testing (RT)
Ultrasonic Testing (UT)

Mainly used for

Internal Testing

NDT
Which NDT method is
the best ?
Depends on many
factors and conditions

NDT
Which method is the best ?
Depends on many factors and conditions

Basic Principles of Ultrasonic

Testing
To understand and
appreciate the
capability and
limitation of UT

Ultrasonic Inspection
Sub-surface detection
This detection method uses high frequency sound
waves, typically above 2MHz to pass through a material
A probe is used which contains a piezo electric crystal
to transmit and receive ultrasonic pulses and display the
signals on a cathode ray tube or digital display
The actual display relates to the time taken for the
ultrasonic pulses to travel the distance to the interface
and back
An interface could be the back of a plate material or a
defect
For ultrasound to enter a material a couplant must be
introduced between the probe and specimen

Ultrasonic Inspection
Ultrasonic testing is a good technique for the
detection of plate laminations and thickness surveys

Laminations detected using compression probes

Ultrasonic Inspection
defect
echo

initial pulse

Back wall
echo

Material Thk
defect

Compression Probe

10

20

30

40

CRT Display

50

Ultrasonic Inspection
Pulse echo
signals
A scan Display

Compression probe

UT Set, Digital

Thickness checking the material

Ultrasonic Inspection
Ultrasonic testing requires high operator for defect
identification

Most weld defects detected using angle probes

Ultrasonic Inspection
UT Set
A Scan
Display

Angle Probe

Ultrasonic Inspection
initial pulse

defect echo

Surface distance

defect

sound path
0

Angle Probe

10

20

30

40

CRT Display

50

Ultrasonic Inspection

Advantages

Disadvantages

Trained and skilled

Rapid results
operator required
Sub-surface detection
Requires high operator
Safe
skill
Can detect planar defect
Good surface finish
Capable of measuring the
required
depth of defects
Difficulty on detecting
May be battery powered
volumetric defect
Portable
Couplant may

contaminate
No permanent record

Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing

Sound is transmitted in the material to be tested
The sound reflected back to the
probe is displayed on
the Flaw Detector

Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing

The distance the sound traveled can be displayed on the Flaw Detector
The screen can be calibrated to give accurate readings of the distance
Signal from the backwall

Bottom / Backwall

Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing

The presence of a Defect in the material shows up on the screen of
the flaw detector with a less distance than the bottom of the material
The BWE signal
Defect signal

Defect

10

20

30

40

50

60

60 mm

The depth of the defect can be read with reference

to the marker on the screen

Thickness / depth measurement

The closer the reflector
to the surface, the signal
will be more to the left of
the screen

30

46

68

The thickness is read from the screen

C
B
A

The THINNER the material

the less distance the sound
travel

Ultrasonic Testing
Principles of Sound

What is Sound ?
A mechanical vibration
The vibrations create Pressure Waves
Sound travels faster in more elastic
materials
Number of pressure waves per second is
the Frequency
Speed of travel is the Sound velocity

Sound Waves
Sound waves are the vibration of particles in solids liquids or gases
Particles vibrate about a mean position
In order to vibrate they require mass and resistance to change

One cycle

Ultrasonic
Sound : mechanical vibration

What is Ultrasonic?
Very High Frequency sound above 20 KHz
20,000 cps

Acoustic Spectrum
Sonic / Audible
Human
16Hz - 20kHz

10

100

1K

Ultrasonic
> 20kHz = 20,000Hz

10K 100K 1M 10M 100m

Ultrasonic Testing

0.5MHz - 50MHz
Ultrasonic : Sound with frequency above 20 KHz

Sound
Wavelength :
The distance required to complete a cycle
Measured in Meter or mm

Frequency :
The number of cycles per unit time
Measured in Hertz (Hz) or Cycles per second (cps)

Velocity :
How quick the sound travels
Distance per unit time
Measured in meter / second (m / sec)

Wavelength

Velocity

V
=
f
Frequency

Properties of a sound wave

Velocity (v)
Frequency (f)
How quickly a sound
How many vibrations
wave travels
per second
Wavelength ()
How far a sound wave
advances in
completing one cycle

Properties of a sound wave

Sound cannot travel
in vacuum
Sound energy to be
transmitted /
transferred from one
particle to another

SOLID

LIQUID

GAS

Velocity
The velocity of sound in a particular material is CONSTANT
It is the product of DENSITY and ELASTICITY of the
material
It will NOT change if frequency changes
Only the wavelength changes
Examples:
V Compression in steel
: 5960 m/s
V Compression in water : 1470 m/s
V Compression in air
: 330 m/s
5 M Hz

STEEL

WATER

AIR

Sound waves are the vibration of particles in solids

liquids or gases
Particles vibrate about a mean position
wavelength
Displacement

wavelength

One cycle

The distance
taken to
complete one
cycle

Frequency
Frequency

1 second
1 cycle per 1 second =
1 Hertz

Number of cycles per

second

1 second
3 cycle per 1 second =
3 Hertz

1 second
18 cycle per 1 second
= 18 Hertz

THE HIGHER THE FREQUENCY THE SMALLER THE

WAVELENGTH

Pg 21

Frequency
1 Hz
=
1 cycle per second
1 Kilohertz =
1 KHz
=
1000Hz
1 Megahertz =
1 MHz
= 1000 000Hz

20 KHz =

20 000 Hz

5 M Hz =

5 000 000 Hz

ULTRASONIC TESTING
Very High Frequency
5 M Hz

Glass
High Frequency
5 K Hz
DRUM BEAT
Low Frequency Sound
40 Hz

Wavelength and frequency

The higher the frequency the smaller the
wavelength
The smaller the wavelength the higher the
sensitivity
Sensitivity :
The smallest detectable
flaw by the system or
technique
In UT the smallest detectable flaw is

(half the wavelength)

High Frequency Sound

V
=
f
5MHz compression
wave probe in steel

5,900,000
=
= 1.18mm
5,000,000

Frequency

1 M Hz

5 M Hz

LONGEST

10 M Hz

25 M Hz
SMALLEST

=v/f

Which probe has the smallest wavelength?

Which probe has the longest wavelength?

 Which of the following compressional

probe has the highest sensitivity?
1 MHz
2 MHz
5 MHz
10 MHz

10 MHz

Sound travelling through a material

Velocity varies according to the material
Compression waves

Shear waves

Steel

5960m/sec

Steel

3245m/sec

Water

1470m/sec

Water

NA

Air

344m/sec

Air

NA

Copper

4700m/sec

Copper

2330m/sec

What is the velocity difference in steel compared with in

water?
4 times
If the frequency remain constant, in what material does
sound has the highest velocity, steel, water, or air?
Steel
If the frequency remain constant, in what material does
sound has the shortest wavelength, steel, water, or air?
Air
Remember the formula
=v/f

Sound Waveforms
Sound travels in different waveforms in
different conditions

Compression wave
Shear wave
Surface wave
Lamb wave

Compression / Longitudinal
Vibration and propagation in the same
direction / parallel
Travel in solids, liquids and gases

Particle vibration

Propagation

Shear / Transverse
Vibration at right angles / perpendicular to
direction of propagation
Travel in solids only
Velocity 1/2 compression (same material)

Particle vibration

Propagation

Compression v Shear
Frequency
0.5MHz
1 MHz
2MHz
4MHz
6MHZ

Compression
11.8
5.9
2.95
1.48
0.98

Shear
6.5
3.2
1.6
0.8
0.54

The smaller the wavelength the better the

sensitivity

Sound travelling through a material

Velocity varies according to the material
Compression waves

Shear waves

Steel

5960m/sec

Steel

3245m/sec

Water

1470m/sec

Water

NA

Air

344m/sec

Air

NA

Copper

4700m/sec

Copper

2330m/sec

Surface Wave
Elliptical vibration
Velocity 8% less than shear
Penetrate one wavelength deep

Easily dampened by heavy grease or wet finger

Follows curves but reflected by sharp corners or
surface cracks

Lamb / Plate Wave

Produced by the manipulation of surface
waves and others
Used mainly to test very thin materials /
plates
Velocity varies with plate thickness and
frequencies

SYMETRIC

ASSYMETRIC