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Method and Apparatus for Short Term Inspection or Long Term Structural Health Monitoring: 6,396,262

Abstract: 

A method and apparatus is shown for implementing magnetostrictive sensor techniques for the nondestructive short term inspection or long term monitoring of a structure. A plurality of magnetostrictive sensors are arranged in parallel on the structure and includes (a) a thin ferromagnetic strip that has residual magnetization, (b) that is coupled to the structure with a couplant, and (c) a coil located adjacent the thin ferromagnetic strip. By a transmitting coil, guided waves are generated in a transmitting strip and coupled to the structure and propagate along the length of the structure. For detection, the reflected guided waves in the structure are coupled to a receiving strip and are detected by a receiving magnetostrictive coil. Reflected guided waves may represent defects in the structure.

Patent Number: 
6,396,262
Date Of Issue: 
05/27/2002
Inventors: 

Glenn M. Light; Hegeon Kwun; Sang-Young Kim; Robert L.Spinks, Jr.