project report

MAULANA AZAD
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BHOPAL
(Material Science & Metallurgical Engineering Department)

MINOR PROJECT REPORT
Based on Project:
“Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Heat Treated EN24 Steel Using Non Destructive Ultrasonic Techniques”
(7/01/2013 to 18/04/2013)

Under the Guidance of:

Dr. C. Sasikumar
Assistant Professor
MSME Department
MANIT Bhopal

Submitted by:

Rakesh Kr. Singh

Avinaw Pansari

Babu Lal Meena

Sch. No. 101101101
MSME Department
MANIT Bhopal

Sch. No. 101101119
MSME Department
MANIT Bhopal

Sch. No. 101101120
MSME Department
MANIT Bhopal

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MAULANA AZAD
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, BHOPAL
( MATERIAL SCIENCE AND METALLURGICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT)

DECLARATION
We hereby declare that the project work entitled “Evaluation of Mechanical
Properties of Heat Treated EN-24 Steel Using Non Destructive Ultrasonic
Techniques” submitted at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology-Bhopal, is
a record of an original work done by us under the guidance of Dr. C. Sasikumar,
Assistant Professor, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgical Engineering
(MSME), MANIT-Bhopal, and this project work has not been submitted for the award
of any other Degree or diploma / associate ship / fellowship and similar project if any.

Rakesh Kr. Singh
(101101101)

Avinaw Pansari
(101101119)

Babu Lal Meena
(101101120)

Dr. C. Sasikumar
(Project Guide)

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Our first experience of project has been successfully, thanks to the support staff of
many friends & colleagues with gratitude. We wish to acknowledge all of them.
However, we wish to makes special mention of the following.
First of all we are thankful of our project guide Dr. C. Sasikumar under whose
guideline we were able to complete our project. We are wholeheartedly thankful to
him for giving us his value able time & attention & for providing us a systematic way
for completing our project in time.
We must make special mention of Dr. Sanjay Shrivastava, for their co-operation &
assistance in solving a technical problem. We would thank to our H.O.D. Dr. A. K.
Sharma & all lab maintenance staff for proving us assistance in various problems
encountered during course of our project.

Rakesh Kr. Singh
Avinaw Pansari
Babu Lal Meena

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ABSTRACT
The mechanical properties of in-service facilities are required to evaluate the
strength of process equipments. The purpose of this project is to analyze the
relationship between the mechanical properties and the attenuation coefficient of
ultrasonic testing and to develop a software for online mechanical property
determination. For experimental tests we have selected EN-24 steel as reference.
EN-24 steel is subjected to annealing at three different holding temperatures of
900oC, 1000oC & 1100oC and an original specimen respectively. For these
specimens Ultrasonic Tests, Tensile test, Hardness Test & Impact Test were
performed. Attenuation coefficients of ultrasonic testing were determined using
Pulse-Echo ultrasonic test. A good analysis and estimation between mechanical
properties and attenuation coefficient was found.

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Table of Content
Page No.
 Chapter 1: Literature Review
1.1
Ultrasonic Waves……………………………………………….....08
1.2
Ultrasonic Testing………………………………………………....08
1.3
Basic Principle of Ultrasonic Testing……………………………08
1.4
Wave Propagation…………………………………………………09
1.5
Modes of Sound Wave Propagation…………………………….09
1.6
Properties of Acoustic Waves……………………………………12
1.7
Sound Propagation in Elastic Materials………………………...12
1.8
Speed of Sound……………………………………………………13
1.9
Material Properties Affecting the Speed of Sound…………….14
1.10 Attenuation of Sound Wave……………………………………..15
1.11 Acoustic Impedance………………………………………………16
1.12 Reflection & Transmission Coefficient…………………………16
1.13 Refraction & Snells Law………………………………………….17
1.14 Mode Conversion………………………………………………….18
1.15 Critical Angle……………………………………………………….20
1.16 Wave Interaction or Interference…………………………………21
1.17 Piezoelectric Transducers………………………………………...21
1.18 Characteristics of Piezoelectric Transducers…………………..22
1.19 Transducer Types…………………………………………………23
1.20 Couplant……………………………………………………………26
1.21 Pulser-Receivers………………………………………………….27
1.22 Data Presentation…………………………………………………28
1.23 Elastic Modulus……………………………………………………30
1.24 Poisson Ratio……………………………………………………...30
 Chapter 2: Experimental Details
2.1 Methodology…………………………………………………………31
 Chapter 3: Results………………………………………………………...36
 Chapter 4: Conclusions & Discussions………………………………39
 Chapter 5: Future Work………………………………………………….40
 Chapter 6: References…………………………………………………...41

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List of Figures
Fig. No.
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
4.1

Figure
Ultrasonic Inspection on Pipe
Sonography
Set of Ultrasonic Testing
Longitudinal Wave Propagation
Transverse Wave Propagation
Surface Wave Propagation
Type of Plate Waves
Sound Propagation in Elastic Materials
Attenuation of Ultrasonic Wave
Plane Sound Wave Travelling from in Diff. Material
Snells Law
Mode Conversion of Ultrasonic Wave at Interface
Critical Angle
Wave Interference
Piezoelectric Effect in Transducers
Cut Away View of Contact Transducer
Contact Transducer
Immersion Transducer
Dual Element Transducer
Delay Line Transducer
Angle Beam Transducer
Couplant in UT
Immersion UT
A Scan Presentation of UT
C Scan Presentation of UT
Rolled Steel Sheet
Cutting Machine
Polishing Machine
Microstructure Image of As Received Sample
Image of Sample Before Polishing
Image of Sample After Polishing
Ultrasonic Testing on Sample
Attenuation of Ultrasonic Wave in Sample
Muffle Furnace
Different Heat Treated Sample
Micro structural Image of Different Heat Treated Sample
Variation of Grain Size of Steel with Annealing Temp.
Variation of Longitudinal Velocity with Grain Boundary Sample
Variation of Modulus of Elasticity with Annealing Temp.
Variation of Intensity with Distance Travelled
Variation of Attenuation Coefficient with Grain Size
Micro structural Image at 100X of 1000oC annealed Sample

Page No.
08
08
09
10
10
11
12
13
15
17
18
19
20
21
22
22
24
24
25
25
26
27
27
28
29
31
31
32
32
33
33
33
33
34
35
35
36
37
37
38
38
39

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List of Tables
Table No.
1.1
1.2
1.3
3.1
3.2
3.3

Table
Modes of sound wave propagation
Longitudinal & transverse velocities in diff. materials
Acoustic Impedance of diff. materials
Grain size and grain boundary area per unit vol. of diff. materials
Density, modulus of elasticity & longitudinal velocity of diff.
samples
Attenuation coefficient of diff. specimens

Page No.
10
15
16
36
37
38

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1. Literature Review
1.1 Ultrasonic Waves:
Acoustic waves of very high frequency are known as Ultrasonic Waves. They are
the elastic waves effectively been used in Non Destructive Testing and utilizes high
frequency mechanical vibration . The most commercial ultrasonic testing is done with
frequency between 0.5 MHz and 25 MHz.

1.2 Ultrasonic Testing
Ultrasonic Testing (UT) uses high frequency sound waves (typically in the range
between 0.5 and 25 MHz) to conduct examinations and make measurements.
Besides its wide use in engineering applications (such as flaw detection/evaluation,
dimensional measurements, material characterization, etc.), ultrasonic’s are also
used in the medical field (such as sonography, therapeutic ultrasound, etc.)
In general, ultrasonic testing is based on the capture and quantification of either the
reflected waves (pulse-echo) or the transmitted waves (through-transmission). Each
of the two types is used in certain applications, but generally, pulse echo systems
are more useful since they require one-sided access to the object being inspected

Fig 1.1 UT Inspection on Pipe

Fig1.2 Sonography

1.3 Basic Principles of Ultrasonic Testing:
A typical pulse-echo UT inspection system consists of several functional units, such
as the pulser/receiver, transducer, and display devices. A pulser/receiver is an
electronic device that can produce high voltage electrical pulses. Driven by the
pulser, the transducer generates high frequency ultrasonic energy. The sound
energy is introduced and propagates through the materials in the form of waves.
When there is a discontinuity (such as a crack) in the wave path, part of the energy
will be reflected back from the flaw surface. The reflected wave signal is transformed
into an electrical signal by the transducer and is displayed on a screen. Knowing the
velocity of the waves, travel time can be directly related to the distance that the
signal travelled. From the signal, information about the reflector location, size,
orientation and other features can sometimes be gained.

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Fig 1.3 Set up of Ultrasonic Testing

PHYSICS OF ULTRASOUND
1.4 Wave Propagation:
Ultrasonic testing is based on the vibration in materials which is generally referred to
as acoustics. All material substances are comprised of atoms, which may be forced
into vibrational motion about their equilibrium positions. Many different patterns of
vibrational motion exist at the atomic level; however, most are irrelevant to acoustics
and ultrasonic testing. Acoustics is focused on particles that contain many atoms that
move in harmony to produce a mechanical wave. When a material is not stressed in
tension or compression beyond its elastic limit, its individual particles perform elastic
oscillations. When the particles of a medium are displaced from their equilibrium
positions, internal restoration forces arise. These elastic restoring forces between
particles, combined with inertia of the particles, lead to the oscillatory motions of the
medium.

1.5 Modes of Sound Wave Propagation:
In air, sound travels by the compression and rarefaction of air molecules in the
direction of travel. However, in solids, molecules can support vibrations in other
directions. Hence, a number of different types of sound waves are possible. Waves
can be characterized by oscillatory patterns that are capable of maintaining their
shape and propagating in a stable manner. The propagation of waves is often
described in terms of what are called “wave modes”.
In solids, sound waves can propagate in four principal modes that are based on the
way the particles oscillate. Sound can propagate as

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Table 1.1 Modes of Sound Wave Propagation

1.5.a Longitudinal Waves: In longitudinal waves, the oscillations occur in the
longitudinal direction or the direction of wave propagation. Since compression and
expansion forces are active in these waves, they are also called pressure or
compression waves. They are also sometimes called density waves because
material density fluctuates as the wave moves. Compression waves can be
generated in liquids, as well as solids because the energy travels through the atomic
structure by a series of compressions and expansion movements.

Fig 1.4 Longitudinal wave propagation
1.5.b Transverse Waves : In the transverse or shear waves, particles oscillate at a
right angle or transverse to the direction of propagation. Shear waves require an
acoustically solid material for effective propagation, and therefore, are not effectively
propagated in materials such as liquids or gasses. Shear waves are relatively weak
when compared to longitudinal waves. In fact, shear waves are usually generated
in materials using some of the energy from longitudinal waves.

Fig 1.5 Transverse wave propagation
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As mentioned previously, longitudinal and transverse (shear) waves are most often
used in ultrasonic inspection. However, at surfaces and interfaces, various types of
elliptical or complex vibrations of the particles make other waves possible. Some of
these wave modes such as Rayleigh and Lamb waves are also useful for ultrasonic
inspection.
1.5.c Surface Waves: Surface (or Rayleigh) waves travel at the surface of a
relatively thick solid material penetrating to a depth of one wavelength. A surface
wave is a combination of both a longitudinal and transverse motion which results in
an elliptical motion as shown in the image.

Fig 1.6 Surface wave propagation

The major axis of the ellipse is perpendicular to the surface of the solid. As the
depth of an individual atom from the surface increases, the width of its elliptical
motion decreases. Surface waves are generated when a longitudinal wave intersects
a surface near the second critical angle and they travel at a velocity between .87
and .95 of a shear wave.
Rayleigh waves are useful because they are very sensitive to surface defects (and
other surface features) and they follow the surface around curves. Because of this,
Rayleigh waves can be used to inspect areas that other waves might have difficulty
reaching.
1.5.d Plate Waves: Plate (or Lamb) waves are similar to surface waves except they
can only be generated in materials a few wavelengths thick (thin plates). Lamb
waves are complex vibrational waves that propagate parallel to the test surface
throughout the thickness of the material. They are influenced a great deal by the test
wave frequency and material thickness. Lamb waves are generated when a wave
hits a surface at an incident angle such that the parallel component of the velocity of
the wave (in the source) is equal to the velocity of the wave in the test material.
Lamb waves will travel several meters in steel and so are useful to scan plate, wire,
and tubes.
With Lamb waves, a number of modes of particle vibration are possible, but the two
most common are symmetrical and asymmetrical. The complex motion of the
particles is similar to the elliptical orbits for surface waves.
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Symmetrical Lamb waves move in a symmetrical fashion about the median plane of
the plate. This is sometimes called the “extensional mode” because the wave is
stretching and compressing the plate in the wave motion direction.
The asymmetrical Lamb wave mode is often called the “flexural mode” because a
large portion of the motion is in a normal direction to the plate, and a little motion
occurs in the direction parallel to the plate. In this mode, the body of the plate bends
as the two surfaces move in the same direction.

Fig 1.7 Type of plate Waves

1.6 Properties of Acoustic Waves:
Among the properties of waves propagating in isotropic solid materials are
wavelength, frequency, and velocity. The wavelength is directly proportional to the
velocity of the wave and inversely proportional to the frequency of the wave. This
relationship is shown by the following equation:

Where;
Lamda : wavelength (m)
V: velocity (m/s)
f: frequency (Hz)
The velocity of sound waves in a certain medium is fixed where it is a characteristic
of that medium. As can be noted from the equation, an increase in frequency will
result in a decrease in wavelength. For instance, the velocity of longitudinal waves in
steel is 5850 m/s and that results in a wavelength of 5.85 mm when the frequency is
1 MHz.

1.7 Sound Propagation in Elastic Materials:
It was mentioned previously that sound waves propagate due to the vibrations or
oscillatory motions of particles within a material. An ultrasonic wave may be
visualized as an infinite number of oscillating masses or particles connected by
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means of elastic springs. Each individual particle is influenced by the motion of its
nearest neighbour and both inertial and elastic restoring forces act upon each
particle.

Fig 1.8 Sound Propagation in Elastic Materials

A mass on a spring has a single resonant frequency (natural frequency) determined
by its spring constant k and its mass m. Within the elastic limit of any material, there
is a linear relationship between the displacement of a particle and the force
attempting to restore the particle to its equilibrium position. This linear dependency is
described by Hooke's Law. In terms of the spring model, the relation between force
and displacement is written as
F = k x.

1.8 The Speed of Sound:
Hooke's Law, when used along with Newton's Second Law, can explain a few things
about the speed of sound. The speed of sound within a material is a function of the
properties of the material and is independent of the amplitude of the sound wave.
Newton's Second Law says that the force applied to a particle will be balanced by
the particle's mass and the acceleration of the particle. Mathematically, Newton's
Second Law is written as F = m a. Hooke's Law then says that this force will be
balanced by a force in the opposite direction that is dependent on the amount of
displacement and the spring constant. Therefore, since the applied force and the
restoring force are equal, m a = k x can be written.
Since the mass m and the spring constant k are constants for any given material, it
can be seen that the acceleration a and the displacement x are the only variables. It
can also be seen that they are directly proportional. For instance, if the displacement
of the particle increases, so does its acceleration. It turns out that the time that it
takes a particle to move and return to its equilibrium position is independent of the
force applied. So, within a given material, sound always travels at the same speed
no matter how much force is applied when other variables, such as temperature, are
held constant.

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1.9 Material Properties Affecting the Speed of Sound:
Of course, sound does travel at different speeds in different materials. This is
because the mass of the atomic particles and the spring constants are different for
different materials. The mass of the particles is related to the density of the material,
and the spring constant is related to the elastic constants of a material. The general
relationship between the speed of sound in a solid and its density and elastic
constants is given by the following equation:

Where;
V: speed of sound (m/s)
Cij: elastic constant “in a given direction” (N/m2)
p: density (kg/m3)
This equation may take a number of different forms depending on the type of wave
(longitudinal or shear) and which of the elastic constants that are used. It must also
be mentioned that the subscript “ ” attached to “ ” in the above equation is used to
indicate the directionality of the elastic constants with respect to the wave type and
direction of wave travel. In isotropic materials, the elastic constants are the same for
all directions within the material. However, most materials are anisotropic and the
elastic constants differ with each direction. For example, in a piece of rolled
aluminium plate, the grains are elongated in one direction and compressed in the
others and the elastic constants for the longitudinal direction differs slightly from
those for the transverse or short transverse directions.
For longitudinal waves, the speed of sound in a solid material can be found as:

Where;
VL: speed of sound for longitudinal waves (m/s)
E: Young’s modulus (N/m2)
v: Poisson’s ratio
While for shear (transverse) waves, the speed of sound is found as:

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Where;
VT: speed of sound for shear waves (m/s)
G: Shear modulus of elasticity (N/m2);
From the above equations, it can be found that longitudinal waves travel faster than
shear waves (longitudinal waves are approximately twice as fast as shear waves).
The table below gives examples of the compressional and shear sound velocities in
some metals are :

Table 1.2 Longitudinal & transverse Wave velocity in different Materials

1.10 Attenuation of Sound Waves:
When sound travels through a medium, its intensity diminishes with distance. In
idealized materials, sound pressure (signal amplitude) is reduced due to the
spreading of the wave. In natural materials, however, the sound amplitude is further
weakened due to the scattering and absorption. Scattering is the reflection of the
sound in directions other than its original direction of propagation. Absorption is the
conversion of the sound energy to other forms of energy. The combined effect of
scattering and absorption is called attenuation. Attenuation is generally proportional
to the square of sound frequency.

Fig 1.9 Attenuation of Ultrasonic Wave

The amplitude change of a decaying plane wave can be expressed as:

Where;
Ao: initial (unattenuated) amplitude
α: attenuation coefficient (Np/m)
z: traveled distance (m)
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Attenuation can be determined by evaluating the multiple back-wall reflections seen
in a typical A-scan display (like the one shown in the image in the previous page).
The number of decibels between two adjacent signals is measured and this value is
divided by the time interval between them. This calculation produces an attenuation
coefficient in decibels per unit time. Then knowing the velocity of sound it can be
converted to decibels per unit length.

1.11 Acoustic Impedance:
Sound travels through materials under the influence of sound pressure. Because
molecules or atoms of a solid are bound elastically to one another, the excess
pressure results in a wave propagating through the solid.
The acoustic impedance ( Z) of a material is defined as the product of its density ( p)
and the velocity of sound in that material ( V).

Where;
Z: acoustic impedance (kg/m2s) or (N s/m3)
p: density (kg/m3)
V: sound velocity (m/s)

Table 1.3 The table gives examples of the acoustic impedances for some materials:

Acoustic impedance is important in:
 the determination of acoustic transmission and reflection at the boundary of
two materials having different acoustic impedances.
 the design of ultrasonic transducers.
 assessing absorption of sound in a medium.

1.12 Reflection and Transmission Coefficients:
Ultrasonic waves are reflected at boundaries where there is a difference in acoustic
impedances (Z) of the materials on each side of the boundary. This difference in is
commonly referred to as the impedance mismatch. The greater the impedance
mismatch, the greater the percentage of energy that will be reflected at the interface
or boundary between one medium and another.
The fraction of the incident wave intensity that is reflected can be derived based on
the fact that particle velocity and local particle pressures must be continuous across
the boundary. When the acoustic impedances of the materials on both sides of the
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boundary are known, the fraction of the incident wave intensity that is reflected (the
reflection coefficient) can be calculated as:

Where
Z1 & Z2 are the acoustic impedances of the two materials at the interface.
Since the amount of reflected energy plus the transmitted energy must equal the
total amount of incident energy, the “transmission coefficient” is calculated by simply
subtracting the reflection coefficient from one (T= 1-R ).

1.13 Refraction and Snell's Law:
When an ultrasonic wave passes through an interface between two materials at an
oblique angle, and the materials have different indices of refraction, both reflected
and refracted waves are produced. This also occurs with light, which is why objects
seen across an interface appear to be shifted relative to where they really are. For
example, if you look straight down at an object at the bottom of a glass of water, it
looks closer than it really is.
Refraction takes place at an interface of two materials due to the difference in
acoustic velocities between the two materials. The figure shows the case where
plane sound waves travelling in one material enters a second material that has a
higher acoustic velocity.

Fig 1.10 Plane sound wave travelling from one materials to another.

When the wave encounters the interface between these two materials, the portion of
the wave in the second material is moving faster than the portion of the wave that is
still in the first material. As a result, this causes the wave to bend and change its
direction (this is referred to as “refraction”).
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Snell's Law describes the relationship between the angles and the velocities of
the waves. Snell's law equates the ratio of material velocities to the ratio of the sine's
of incident and refracted angles, as shown in the following equation:

Where:
VL1& VL2 are the longitudinal wave velocities in the first and second materials
Ø1 & Ø2 are the angles of incident and refracted waves respectively

Fig 1.11 Snell’s Law.

Note that in the diagram, there is a reflected longitudinal wave (V L1 ) shown. This
wave is reflected at the same angle as the incident wave because the two waves are
travelling in the same material, and hence have the same velocities. This reflected
wave is unimportant in our explanation of Snell's Law, but it should be remembered
that some of the wave energy is reflected at the interface.

1.14 Mode Conversion:
When sound travels in a solid material, one form of wave energy can be transformed
into another form. For example, when a longitudinal wave hits an interface at an
angle, some of the energy can cause particle movement in the transverse direction
to start a shear wave. Mode conversion occurs when a wave encounters an interface
between materials of different acoustic impedances and the incident angle is not
normal to the interface. It should be noted that mode conversion occurs “every time”
a wave encounters an interface at an angle. This mode conversion occurs for both
the portion of the wave that passes through the interface and the portion that reflects
off the interface.

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Fig 1.12 Mode conversion of ultrasonic wave at the interface of two different medium

In the previous section, it was pointed out that when sound waves pass through an
interface between materials having different acoustic velocities, refraction takes
place at the interface. The larger the difference in acoustic velocities between the
two materials, the more the sound is refracted. However, the converted shear wave
is not refracted as much as the longitudinal wave because shear waves travel slower
than longitudinal waves. Therefore, the velocity difference between the incident
longitudinal wave and the shear wave is not as great as it is between the incident
and refracted longitudinal waves. Also note that when a longitudinal wave is reflected
inside the material, the reflected shear wave is reflected at a smaller angle than the
reflected longitudinal wave. This is also due to the fact that the shear velocity is less
than the longitudinal velocity within a given material.

Snell's Law holds true for shear waves as well as longitudinal waves and can be
written as follows:

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Where;
VL1 & VL2: the longitudinal wave velocities in the first and second materials
VS1 & VS2: the shear wave velocities in the first and second materials respectively
Ø1 & Ø2: the angles of incident and refracted longitudinal waves respectively
Ø3& Ø4: the angles of the converted reflected and refracted shear waves

1.15 Critical Angles:
When a longitudinal wave moves from a slower to a faster material (and thus the
wave is refracted), there is an incident angle that makes the angle of refraction for
the “longitudinal wave” to become 90°. This is angle is known as “the first critical
angle”. The first critical angle can be found from Snell's law by putting in an angle of
90° for the angle of the refracted ray. At the critical angle of incidence, much of the
acoustic energy is in the form of an inhomogeneous compression wave, which
travels along the interface and decays exponentially with depth from the interface.
This wave is sometimes referred to as a "creep wave". Because of their
inhomogeneous nature and the fact that they decay rapidly, creep waves are not
used as extensively as Rayleigh surface waves in NDT.
When the incident angle is equal or greater than the first critical angle, only the mode
converted shear wave propagates into the material. For this reason, most angle
beam transducers use a shear wave so that the signal is not complicated by having
two waves present.
In many cases there is also an incident angle that makes the angle of refraction for
the “shear wave” to become 90°. This is known as the “second critical angle” and
at this point, all of the wave energy is reflected or refracted into a surface following
shear wave or shear creep wave. Slightly beyond the second critical angle, surface
(Rayleigh) waves will be generated.
The incident angle for angle-beam transducers is somewhere between the first and
second critical angles such that a shear wave, at a desired angle, is introduced into
the material being inspected.

Fig 1.13 The figure shows the mode of waves introduced into a steel surface as a function of
the incident angle of the wave generated by the transducer. It can be seen from the figure
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that the incident angle for angle beam (shear) transducers ranges between 30° to 55°. But it
is important to remember that, due to refraction, the angle of the shear wave inside the
material is completely different than the incident angle.

1.16 Wave Interaction or Interference:
The understanding of the interaction or interference of waves is important for
understanding the performance of an ultrasonic transducer. When sound emanates
from an ultrasonic transducer, it does not originate from a single point, but instead
originates from many points along the surface of the piezoelectric element. This
results in a sound field with many waves interacting or interfering with each other.
When waves interact, they superimpose on each other, and the amplitude of the
sound pressure at any point of interaction is the sum of the amplitudes of the two
individual waves. First, let's consider two identical waves that originate from the
same point. When they are in phase (so that the peaks and valleys of one are
exactly aligned with those of the other), they combine to double the pressure of
either wave acting alone. When they are completely out of phase (so that the peaks
of one wave are exactly aligned with the valleys of the other wave), they combine to
cancel each other out. When the two waves are not completely in phase or out of
phase, the resulting wave is the sum of the wave amplitudes for all points along the
wave.

Fig 1.14 Wave Interference

EQUIPMENTS & TRANSDUCERS
1.17 Piezoelectric Transducers:
The conversion of electrical pulses to mechanical vibrations and the conversion of
returned mechanical vibrations back into electrical energy is the basis for ultrasonic
testing. This conversion is done by the transducer using a piece of piezoelectric
material (a polarized material having some parts of the molecule positively charged,
while other parts of the molecule are negatively charged) with electrodes attached to
two of its opposite faces. When an electric field is applied across the material, the
polarized molecules will align themselves with the electric field causing the material
to change dimensions. In addition, a permanently-polarized material such as quartz
(SiO2) or barium titanate (BaTiO3) will produce an electric field when the material
21

changes dimensions as a result of an imposed mechanical force. This phenomenon
is known as the piezoelectric effect.

Fig 1.15 Piezoelectric Effect in Transducer

The active element of most acoustic transducers used today is a piezoelectric
ceramic, which can be cut in various ways to produce different wave modes. A large
piezoelectric ceramic element can be seen in the image of a sectioned low frequency
transducer. The most commonly employed ceramic for making transducers is lead
zirconate titanate.
The thickness of the active element is determined by the desired frequency of the
transducer. A thin wafer element vibrates with a wavelength that is twice its
thickness. Therefore, piezoelectric crystals are cut to a thickness that is 1/2 the
desired radiated wavelength. The higher the frequency of the transducer, the thinner
the active element.

1.18 Characteristics of Piezoelectric Transducers:
The function of the transducer is to convert electrical signals into mechanical
vibrations (transmit mode) and mechanical vibrations into electrical signals (receive
mode). factors, including material, mechanical and electrical construction, and the
external mechanical and electrical load conditions, influence the behaviour of the
transducer.

Fig 1.16 Cut away of typical contact transducer .

22

To get as much energy out of the transducer as possible, an impedance matching
layer is placed between the active element and the face of the transducer. Optimal
impedance matching is achieved by sizing the matching layer so that its thickness is
1/4 of the desired wavelength. This keeps waves that are reflected within the
matching layer in phase when they exit the layer. For contact transducers, the
matching layer is made from a material that has an acoustical impedance between
the active element and steel. Immersion transducers have a matching layer with an
acoustical impedance between the active element and water. Contact transducers
also incorporate a wear plate to protect the matching layer and active element from
scratching.
The backing material supporting the crystal has a great influence on the damping
characteristics of a transducer. Using a backing material with an impedance similar
to that of the active element will produce the most effective damping. Such a
transducer will have a wider bandwidth resulting in higher sensitivity and higher
resolution (i.e., the ability to locate defects near the surface or in close proximity in
the material). As the mismatch in impedance between the active element and the
backing material increases, material penetration increases but transducer sensitivity
is reduced.
The bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies associated with a transducer. The
frequency noted on a transducer is the central frequency and depends primarily on
the backing material. Highly damped transducers will respond to frequencies above
and below the central frequency. The broad frequency range provides a transducer
with high resolving power. Less damped transducers will exhibit a narrower
frequency range and poorer resolving power, but greater penetration.
The central frequency will also define the capabilities of a transducer. Lower
frequencies (0.5MHz-2.25MHz) provide greater energy and penetration in a material,
while high frequency crystals (15.0MHz-25.0MHz) provide reduced penetration but
greater sensitivity to small discontinuities.

1.19 Transducer Types:
Ultrasonic transducers are manufactured for a variety of applications and can be
custom fabricated when necessary. Careful attention must be paid to selecting the
proper transducer for the application. It is important to choose transducers that have
the desired frequency, bandwidth, and focusing to optimize inspection capability.
Most often the transducer is chosen either to enhance the sensitivity or resolution of
the system.
Transducers are classified into two major groups according to the application.
1.19.a Contact Transducer: Contact transducers are used for direct contact
inspections, and are generally hand manipulated. They have elements protected in a
rugged casing to withstand sliding contact with a variety of materials. These
transducers have an ergonomic design so that they are easy to grip and move along
a surface. They often have replaceable wear plates to lengthen their useful life.
Coupling materials of water, grease, oils, or commercial materials are used to
remove the air gap between the transducer and the component being inspected.
23

Fig. 1.17 Contact Transducer

1.19.b Immersion transducers: This transducers do not contact the component.
These transducers are designed to operate in a liquid environment and all
connections are watertight. Immersion transducers usually have an impedance
matching layer that helps to get more sound energy into the water and, in turn, into
the component being inspected. Immersion transducers can be purchased with a
planer, cylindrically focused or spherically focused lens. A focused transducer can
improve the sensitivity and axial resolution by concentrating the sound energy to a
smaller area. Immersion transducers are typically used inside a water tank or as part
of a squirter or bubbler system in scanning applications.

Fig. 1.18 Immersion Transducer

Other Types of Contact Transducers:
Contact transducers are available in a variety of configurations to improve their
usefulness for a variety of applications. The flat contact transducer shown above is
used in normal beam inspections of relatively flat surfaces, and where near surface
resolution is not critical. If the surface is curved, a shoe that matches the curvature of
the part may need to be added to the face of the transducer. If near surface
resolution is important or if an angle beam inspection is needed, one of the special
contact transducers described below might be used.
1.19.c Dual element transducers This transducers contain two independently
operated elements in a single housing. One of the elements transmits and the other
receives the ultrasonic signal. Dual element transducers are especially well suited
for making measurements in applications where reflectors are very near the
transducer since this design eliminates the ring down effect that single-element
24

transducers experience (when single-element transducers are operating in pulse
echo mode, the element cannot start receiving reflected signals until the element has
stopped ringing from its transmit function). Dual element transducers are very useful
when making thickness measurements of thin materials and when inspecting for
near surface defects. The two elements are angled towards each other to create a
crossed-beam sound path in the test material.

Fig. 1.19 Duel Element Transducer

1.19.d Delay line transducers: This provide versatility with a variety of replaceable
options. Removable delay line, surface conforming membrane, and protective wear
cap options can make a single transducer effective for a wide range of applications.
As the name implies, the primary function of a delay line transducer is to introduce a
time delay between the generation of the sound wave and the arrival of any reflected
waves. This allows the transducer to complete its "sending" function before it starts
its "receiving" function so that near surface resolution is improved. They are
designed for use in applications such as high precision thickness gauging of thin
materials and delamination checks in composite materials. They are also useful in
high-temperature measurement applications since the delay line provides some
insulation to the piezoelectric element from the heat.

Fig. 1.20 Delay Line Transducer
25

1.19 e. Angle beam transducers and wedges are typically used to introduce a
refracted shear wave into the test material. Transducers can be purchased in a
variety of fixed angles or in adjustable versions where the user determines the
angles of incidence and refraction. In the fixed angle versions, the angle of refraction
that is marked on the transducer is only accurate for a particular material, which is
usually steel. The most commonly used refraction angles for fixed angle transducers
are 45°, 60° and 70°. The angled sound path allows the sound beam to be reflected
from the backwall to improve detectability of flaws in and around welded areas. They
are also used to generate surface waves for use in detecting defects on the surface
of a component.

Fig. 1.21 Angle Beam Transducer

1.19.f Normal incidence shear wave transducers are unique because they allow
the introduction of shear waves directly into a test piece without the use of an angle
beam wedge. Careful design has enabled manufacturing of transducers with minimal
longitudinal wave contamination.
1.19.g Paint brush transducers are used to scan wide areas. These long and
narrow transducers are made up of an array of small crystals and that make it
possible to scan a larger area more rapidly for discontinuities. Smaller and more
sensitive transducers are often then required to further define the details of a
discontinuity.

1.20 Couplet:
A couplant is a material (usually liquid) that facilitates the transmission of ultrasonic
energy from the transducer into the test specimen. Couplant is generally necessary
because the acoustic impedance mismatch between air and solids is large.
Therefore, nearly all of the energy is reflected and very little is transmitted into the
test material. The couplant displaces the air and makes it possible to get more sound
energy into the test specimen so that a usable ultrasonic signal can be obtained. In
contact ultrasonic testing a thin film of oil, glycerin or water is typically used between
the transducer and the test surface. When shear waves are to be transmitted, the
fluid is generally selected to have a significant viscosity.

26

Fig. 1.22 Couplant in Ultrasonic Testing

Fig. 1.23 Immersion Ultrasonic Testing

When scanning over the part, an immersion technique is often used. Inimmersion
ultrasonic testing both the transducer and the part are immersed in the couplant,
which is typically water. This method of coupling makes it easier to maintain
consistent coupling while moving and manipulating the transducer and/or the part

1.21 Pulser-Receivers:
Ultrasonic pulser-receivers are well suited to general purpose ultrasonic testing.
Along with appropriate transducers and an oscilloscope, they can be used for flaw
detection and thickness gauging in a wide variety of metals, plastics, ceramics, and
composites. Ultrasonic pulser-receivers provide a unique, low-cost ultrasonic
measurement capability. Specialized portable equipment that are dedicated for
ultrasonic inspection merge the pulser-receiver with the scope display in one small
size battery operated unit.

The pulser section of the instrument generates short, large amplitude electric pulses
of controlled energy, which are converted into short ultrasonic pulses when applied
to an ultrasonic transducer. Control functions associated with the pulser circuit
include:
 Pulse length or damping: The amount of time the pulse is applied to the
transducer.
 Pulse energy: The voltage applied to the transducer. Typical pulser circuits
will apply from 100 volts to 800 volts to a transducer.
In the receiver section the voltage signals produced by the transducer, which
represent the received ultrasonic pulses, are amplified. The amplified signal is
27

available as an output for display or capture for signal processing. Control functions
associated with the receiver circuit include:
 Signal rectification: The signal can be viewed as positive half wave
 Filtering to shape and smoothing
 Gain, or signal amplification
 Reject control

1.22 Data Presentation:
Ultrasonic data can be collected and displayed in a number of different formats. The
three most common formats are known in the NDT world as A-scan, B-scan and Cscan presentations. Each presentation mode provides a different way of looking at
and evaluating the region of material being inspected. Modern computerized
ultrasonic scanning systems can display data in all three presentation forms
simultaneously.
1.22.a A-Scan Presentation: The A-scan presentation displays the amount of
received ultrasonic energy as a function of time. The relative amount of received
energy is plotted along the vertical axis and the elapsed time (which may be related
to the travelled distance within the material) is displayed along the horizontal axis.
Most instruments with an A-scan display allow the signal to be displayed in its
natural radio frequency form (RF), as a fully rectified RF signal, or as either the
positive or negative half of the RF signal. In the A-scan presentation, relative
discontinuity size can be estimated by comparing the signal amplitude obtained from
an unknown reflector to that from a known reflector. Reflector depth can be
determined by the position of the signal on the horizontal time axis

Fig. 1.24 A Scan presentation of Ultrasonic Testing

In the illustration of the A-scan presentation shown in the figure, the initial pulse
generated by the transducer is represented by the signal IP, which is near time zero.
As the transducer is scanned along the surface of the part, four other signals are
likely to appear at different times on the screen. When the transducer is in its far left
position, only the IP signal and signal A, the sound energy reflecting from surface A,
will be seen on the trace. As the transducer is scanned to the right, a signal from the
backwall BW will appear later in time, showing that the sound has traveled farther to
reach this surface. When the transducer is over flaw B, signal B will appear at a
28

point on the time scale that is approximately halfway between the IP signal and the
BW signal. Since the IP signal corresponds to the front surface of the material, this
indicates that flaw B is about halfway between the front and back surfaces of the
sample. When the transducer is moved over flaw C, signal C will appear earlier in
time since the sound travel path is shorter and signal B will disappear since sound
will no longer be reflecting from it.
1.22b. B-Scan Presentation : The B-scan presentation is a type of presentation that
is possible for automated linear scanning systems where it shows a profile (crosssectional) view of the test specimen. In the B-scan, the time-of-flight (travel time) of
the sound waves is displayed along the vertical axis and the linear position of the
transducer is displayed along the horizontal axis. From the B-scan, the depth of the
reflector and its approximate linear dimensions in the scan direction can be
determined. The B-scan is typically produced by establishing a trigger gate on the Ascan. Whenever the signal intensity is great enough to trigger the gate, a point is
produced on the B-scan. The gate is triggered by the sound reflected from the
backwall of the specimen and by smaller reflectors within the material. In the B-scan
image shown previously, line A is produced as the transducer is scanned over the
reduced thickness portion of the specimen. When the transducer moves to the right
of this section, the backwall line BW is produced. When the transducer is over flaws
B and C, lines that are similar to the length of the flaws and at similar depths within
the material are drawn on the B-scan. It should be noted that a limitation to this
display technique is that reflectors may be masked by larger reflectors near the
surface.
1.22.c C-Scan Presentation The C-scan presentation is a type of presentation that
is possible for automated two-dimensional scanning systems that provides a plantype view of the location and size of test specimen features. The plane of the image
is parallel to the scan pattern of the transducer. C-scan presentations are typically
produced with an automated data acquisition system, such as a computer controlled
immersion scanning system. Typically, a data collection gate is established on the Ascan and the amplitude or the time-of-flight of the signal is recorded at regular
intervals as the transducer is scanned over the test piece. The relative signal
amplitude or the time-of-flight is displayed as a shade of gray or a color for each of
the positions where data was recorded. The C-scan presentation provides an image
of the features that reflect and scatter the sound within and on the surfaces of the
test piece.

Fig 1.25 Right side fig. is the C Scan Representation of UT and left side fig is the C Scan
image of US Quarter
29

High resolution scans can produce very detailed images. The figure shows two
ultrasonic C-scan images of a US quarter. Both images were produced using a
pulse-echo technique with the transducer scanned over the head side in an
immersion scanning system. For the C-scan image on the top, the gate was setup to
capture the amplitude of the sound reflecting from the front surface of the quarter.
Light areas in the image indicate areas that reflected a greater amount of energy
back to the transducer. In the C-scan image on the bottom, the gate was moved to
record the intensity of the sound reflecting from the back surface of the coin. The
details on the back surface are clearly visible but front surface features are also still
visible since the sound energy is affected by these features as it travels through the
front surface of the coin.

MEHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MATERIAL:
1.23 Elastic Modulus:
An elastic modulus, or modulus of elasticity, is the mathematical description of an
object or substance's tendency to be deformed elastically (i.e., non-permanently)
when a force is applied to it. The elastic modulus of an object is defined as
the slope of its stress–strain curve in the elastic deformation region: As such, a stiffer
material will have a higher elastic modulus.

where lambda (λ) is the elastic modulus; stress is the restoring force caused due to
the deformation divided by the area to which the force is applied; and strain is the
ratio of the change caused by the stress to the original state of the object. If stress is
measured in pascals, since strain is a dimensionless quantity, then the units of λ are
pascals as well.

1.24 Poisson's ratio:
Poisson Ratio ( ), named after Siméon Poisson, is the negative ratio of transverse
to axial strain. In fact, when a sample object is stretched (or squeezed), to an
extension (or contraction) in the direction of the applied load, it corresponds a
contraction (or extension) in a direction perpendicular to the applied load. The ratio
between these two quantities is the Poisson's ratio.

30

2. Experimental Detail
2.1 Methodology:
1) Determination of longitudinal velocity of ultrasonic sound wave in different
samples/mediums.
Water – A water was taken in a beaker and a pulse of ultrasonic frequency of
5MHz was send through it. With the help of display unit (inbuilt in the
Ultrasonic equipment) the time taken by the pulse to return back to the
receiver was noted.
The velocity was calculated according to the formula:
Velocity = Distance Travelled / Time
2) A steel sample (mild steel in the form of rolled sheet of approx thickness 8.03
mm) was and was cut into 4 pieces of equal length with the help of Cutting
Machine.

Fig 2.1 Rolled Steel Sheet

Fig2.2 Cutting Machine

3) One of the sample was polished with the help of Amery paper of different
grades followed by cloth polishing across its one cross section surface to
study the microstructure in as received sample.

31

Fig2.3 Polishing Machine

4) Micro structural images of the as received sample was captured at different
magnification using Image Analyser and its microstructure was calculated
manually using area method.

100 X

200X

400X

800X

Fig 2.4 Microstructure Image of As Received Sample at different magnifications

5) The oxidised layer of the as received sample was removed by polishing both
upper and lower surfaces of the sample before doing its ultrasonic testing
across its thickness.

32

Fig 2.5 Before Polishing

Fig2.6 After Polishing

6) Using the ultrasonic frequency of 5MHz probe, longitudinal velocity of
ultrasonic sound wave in the as received sample was calculated as done in
step (2). The shear velocity of the sound in the sample is assumed to be half
of the longitudinal velocity. Moreover the attenuation coefficient of the
ultrasonic wave in the given sample was calculated using the formula :
y = yo Ae-kx
y = Intensity of wave after travelling distance x
yo = Initial Intensity
K= Attenuation Coefficient.
A= Constant

Fig2.7 Ultrasonic Testing on Sample

Fig 2.8 Attenuation of Ultrasonic Wave in sample

7) Density of this sample was also calculated by measuring its area and
thickness with the help of Vernier calliper and finally calculating its volume
and measuring the mass of the sample with the help of weighting machine.
Density of the sample was calculated using the formula:
Density = Mass/Volume
Modulus of Elasticity (E) of the given sample was calculated using the
formula.

33

8) The remaining 3 samples were heat treated (annealed) in the Muffle Furnace
at different holding temperature of 900oC, 1000oC, 1100oC.
Annealing Cycle – Sample were kept in the furnace and the furnace was
switched on. After the furnace reached the required holding temperature
(900oC, 1000oC, 1100oC respectively for each sample) the samples were
allowed to be get soaked in the furnace for 5hr. and then the furnace was
switched off and samples were allowed to furnace cool till the samples
acquired the room temperature.

Fig 2.9 Muffle furnace

9) Step (4), (5) (6), (7) & (8) were repeated for all the heat treated samples.

34

Fig2.10 Different heat treated Samples.

As Received Sample

900oC

1000oC

1100oC

Fig2.11 Microstructural Image of Different heat treated Samples at 400X.

10) Finally comparison was made between the values of Longitudinal velocity,
Modulus of Elasticity and attenuation coefficient of different samples.

35

3. Results
(1) Longitudinal Velocity of Ultrasonic Sound in different mediums:
Longitudinal Velocity in Water:
Distance Travelled = 234.06 mm
Travelled Time = 169.54 µs
Calculated Longitudinal Velocity = 1380.55 m/s
Reported Value at longitudinal velocity in water at room temp. = 1480 m/s
Steel Block:
Distance Travelled = 74 mm
Travelled Time = 16 µs
Calculated Longitudinal Velocity = 4625 m/s
Reported Value at longitudinal velocity in steel at room temp. = 5860m/s
(2) Grain Size and Grain Boundary Surface Area per unit volume of different
samples:
Note - Grains are considered to be a Dodecahedron.
Volume of Dodecahedron = 7.66 a3
Area of Dodecahedron = 20.645 a2
Sample

Grain Size (µm)

As
Received
900oC
1000oC
1100oC

9.2

Grain Boundary Area per unit Volume
(µm-1)
0.2929

13.8
38
65

0.1953
0.0709
0.0415

Table 3.1 Grain Size & Grain Boundary Area per Unit Vol.of Diff. Specimens

Fig 3.1 Variation of Grain Size of steel with Annealing Temperature.
36

3) Density, Longitudinal Velocity & Modulus of Elasticity of different Samples.
Sample
As Rec.
900oC
1000oC
1100oC

Density
(gm/cm3)
8.015
7.971
7.944
7.494

Longitudinal
(m/s)
4625
4750
4754
4766

Velocity Modulus
(GPa)
122.01
121.39
121.18
114.89

of

Elasticity

Table 3.2 Density, Modulus of Elasticity & Longitudinal Velocity of different Specimes

Shear Velocity of ultrasonic sound wave in a given sample is considered to be half
ofthat of its longitudinal velocity in that sample.

Fig 3.2 Variation of Longitudinal Velocity with grain boundary area in sample.

Fig 3.3 Variation of Modulus of Elasticity of sample with Annealing Temperature.

37

4) Attenuation Coefficient :
Sample
As Received
900oC
1000oC
1100oC

Attenuation Coefficient
0.11339
0.10545
0.12611
0.12970

Table 3.3 Attenuation Coifficient of in different specimens

Fig 3.4 Variation of Intensity of Ultrasonic Wave with distance travelled in sample

Fig 3.5 Variation of Attenuation Coefficient of sample with its grain size.

38

4. Conclusions & Discussions
 Grain Size of the sample increases almost exponentially with the increase
in annealing temperature. With the increase in annealing temp. the
diffusion rate of grain boundary increases and hence for the particular
holding time grain size increases with the increase in temperature.
 Longitudinal velocity in the given material decreases with the increase in
the the grain boundary area per unit volume in the sample.
 With the increase in the Annealing Temperature and hence increase in
Grain Size in a particular material , its modulus of Elasticity decreases.
 Intensity of the ultrasonic wave decreases exponentially as it propagate
through the material.
 Attenuation Coefficient of a ultrasonic wave of given frequency in a
particular medium/material
increases with the increase in its
microstructure grain size and hence decrease in the grain boundary
surface areas per unit volume in the material. It shows that grain boundary
itself act as a source of scattering to the ultrasonic wave.
 Banding structure present in the 1000oC treated sample also effect the
longitudinal velocity and attenuation coefficient of ultrasonic wave in the
material. This shows that apart from grain size there are various other
factors such as banding structure, different phases etc also contribute to
the scattering of ultrasonic wave propagating through it.

Banding

Fig 4.1 Microstructure Image at 100X at 1000oC annealed Sample.

39

5. Future Work

(1) Measuring the Modulus of Elasticity of the samples with the help of Universal
tensile testing machine & analysing the variation of the value of modulus of
Elasticity of material measured by Destructive Mechanical Testing from the
value measured from non destructive Ultrasonic Testing.
(2) Understanding the other factors which effect the attenuation coefficient of
ultrasonic wave in the material by performing the same experiment in
materials of different microstructures and compositions.
(3) Establishing the relation of variation of attenuation coefficient with grain size
and grain surface area per unit volume of the material.
(4) Development of the software for online determination of mechanical
properties of the material with the help of non destructive ultrasonic testing.

40

6. References

1. Analytical ultrasonic’s in material research and testing, NASA CP 2383, 1984
2. S. Banerjee & BK Shah, ‘Characterization of Industrial Materials’, Material
Characterization Techniques – Principals and Applications, Ed. G. Sridhar, S. Ghosh
Chowdhary and N.G. Goswami, 1999, pp 1- 15
3. D.K. Mak, ‘Determination of grain size, hysterisis constant and scattering factor of
polycrystalline material using ultrasonic attenuation’, Canadian Metallurgical
Quarterly, Vol. 25, No.3, pp 253-255
4. A. Badidi Bouda, et. al., ‘Grain size influence on ultrasonic velocities and
attenuation’, NDT & E International, Vol. 36, Issue 1, Jan 2003, pp 1-5
5. E.R. Generazio, ‘Ultrasonic attenuation measurements to determine onset, degree
and completion of recrystallization’, Materials Evaluation.
6. Metals Handbook, Ninth Edition, Volume 17, Non-Destructive Evaluation and
Quality Control, p- 532.

41

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