Surface Crack Propagation Life Study of Welded Structures Using Phased-array Ultrasonic Total Focusing Imaging

doi:10.3901/JME.2025.22.069

Abstract

Abstract: Facing the needs of integrity assessment of welded structures in service, the state of fatigue crack evolution on the surface of welded joints is of paramount importance for the assessment of their fatigue life. Currently, the method for effective monitoring of fatigue crack propagation on the surface of welded structures has not been established, and it is difficult to characterize the effect of crack morphology evolution on the fatigue life of welded structures. An innovative method for monitoring the three-dimensional fatigue crack propagation state on the surface of welded structures based on ultrasonic total focus phased array imaging is proposed. First, the imaging technique is used to perform fatigue tests on 8 mm thick aluminium alloy full-size butt joints, and the morphological evolution of surface fatigue cracks in the weld toe area is obtained by real-time imaging. Then, the imaging results of crack propagation were compared and analysed with the fracture morphology characteristics to verify the effectiveness of the proposed condition monitoring method. Finally, the stress intensity factor at the crack leading edge was optimized by fitting the monitoring data of crack depth a and length c into the segmented function introduced into the BS7910 analytical function with a/c and a/t as parameters. The results show that the condition monitoring method based on ultrasonic total focus phased array imaging can effectively capture the dynamic evolution of the fatigue crack depth a and length c at the weld toe. The evolution law of surface crack morphology under through-thickness failure mode is completely revealed. In addition, the dynamic crack morphology feature analysis function is introduced to significantly improve the accuracy of fatigue crack propagation life assessment of welded structures. The method provides a new way of reflection for the condition monitoring of fatigue crack propagation and life prediction of welded structures, which has important theoretical significance and engineering application value.

Key words: ultrasonic phased array, total focus imaging, crack propagation evolution, BS 7910 standard, stress intensity factor

CLC Number:

TG405

WANG Chao, YANG Bing, ZHU Tao, YANG Guangwu, XIAO Shoune. Surface Crack Propagation Life Study of Welded Structures Using Phased-array Ultrasonic Total Focusing Imaging[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2025, 61(22): 69-79.

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