Multi-level damage detection with nonlinear ultrasonic methods

The nonlinear ultrasonic method of second harmonic generation is used to detect multiple levels of damage on a single specimen. There is a breadth of research in the literature that measures the second harmonic and the resulting nonlinear parameter to monitor increasing amounts of uniform damage, but for this method to be applicable as an in situ technique, it must be able to scan an area of a structure with varying amounts of damage over a region. To investigate this, an aluminum alloy sample is shot-peened to two intensity levels along its length, to produce different sections of cold work and residual stress as a function of spatial location. Previous research has shown that the residual stress and cold work introduced in a material from shot peening causes an increase in the nonlinear parameter. Rayleigh waves are generated in the sample and the first and second harmonic amplitudes are measured at increasing propagation distances that encompass an undamaged section and two sections, each with different levels of shot peening. Results show that the nonlinear parameter increases as the Rayleigh wedge sensor is scanned over the shot peening sections.