Correction of ultrasonic array images to improve reflector sizing and location in inhomogeneous materials using a ray-tracing model

The use of ultrasonic arrays has increased dramatically within recent years due to their ability to perform multiple types of inspection and to produce images of the structure through post-processing of received signals. Phased arrays offer many advantages over conventional transducers in the inspection of materials that are inhomogeneous with spatially varying anisotropic properties. In this paper, the arrays are focused on austenitic steel welds as a representative inhomogeneous material. The method of ray-tracing through a previously developed model of an inhomogeneous weld is shown, with particular emphasis on the difficulties presented by material inhomogeneity. The delay laws for the structure are computed and are used to perform synthetic focusing at the post-processing stage of signal data acquired by the array. It is demonstrated for a simulated austenitic weld that by taking material inhomogeneity and anisotropy into account, superior reflector location (and hence, superior sizing) results when compared to cases where these are ignored. The image is thus said to have been corrected. Typical images are produced from both analytical data in the frequency domain and data from finite element simulations in the time domain in a variety of wave modes, including cases with mode conversion and reflections.