Structural damage detection and localization by non-linear acoustic spectroscopy
Dr. Gerard Vanderborck, Thales Underwater Systems
Dr. Bernard Rousselet,
Nice University ( France)

 

Abstract:
The strong linkage between damage and nonlinear elasticity of materials leads to many researches in the field of nonlinear response of mechanical structures .
Due to severe mechanical environment conditions ( Vibration, Shock…), damage may appear in structures. In a previous S&V symposium we have presented some interesting experiments who have shown that non linear acoustic spectroscopy is be a very powerful technique in order to detect damage in structures
The proposed method consists of the observation of  nonlinear responses obtained from an array of sensors when the structure is excited by dual frequency sources : the low frequency source yields the power while the second acts as a probe . The nonlinear response is obtained by spectral analysis of signals coming from sensors , the response amplitude is proportional to the local nonlinearity (failure nonlinear elastic response) .
Now we have developed the theoretical and mathematical approach of the problem and we show a good correlation between the modeling and the experiment.
We explain also the ideas that are behind the concept of localization of damage.
We also show that this technique based on non linear acoustic is a good concept in order to detect buried objects.

 

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