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Course Descriptions

MAT E 362: Principles of Nondestructive Testing

(Cross-listed with E M)

Course Description

Radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, eddy current testing, dye penetrant inspection, and other techniques. Physical bases of tests, materials to which applicable, types of defects detectable, calibration standards, and reliability safety precautions.

Course Topics

Part I: Physical basis: interaction of various forms of energy with materials, properties

  1. Mechanics
  2. Sound
  3. Heat & Light
  4. Electricity & Magnetism
  5. Radiation

    Part II: Overview of testing methods     
  6. Mechanical testing, (including penetrants, hardness tests)
  7. Acoustic methods, (including ultrasonic pulse echo methods)
  8. Thermal & optical methods
  9. Electrical methods – (including eddy current testing)
  10. Magnetic methods – (including magnetic particle inspection)
  11. Radiation methods – (including x ray radiographs)

    Part III: Applications to materials: detection of degradation and mechanisms of failure     
  12. Destructive versus nondestructive testing
  13. Materials characterization
  14. Defect detection
  15. Reliability, life extension and economics

MAT E 488: Eddy Current Nondestructive Evaluation

(Dual-listed with M S E 588). (Cross-listed with E E). (3-0) Cr. 3. Alt. F., offered odd-numbered years.

Course Description

Electromagnetic fields of various eddy current probes. Probe field interaction with conductors, cracks and other material defects. Ferromagnetic materials. Layered conductors. Elementary inversion of probe signals to characterize defects. Special techniques including remote-field, transient, potential drop nondestructive evaluation and the use of Hall sensors. Practical assignments using a ‘virtual’ eddy current instrument will demonstrate key concepts.

Course Topics

  1. Understand the relationship between electric current, magnetic field, voltage, inductance and impedance.
  2. Account for the electromagnetic field produced by various eddy current coil types.
  3. Understand the interaction between a coil field and a conductor with and without various types of defects.
  4. Be able to interpret the probe signal due to various conductors and defects.
  5. Be able to account for changes in the probe signal due to changes in the probe configuration and lift-off.
  6. Understand the influence of ferromagnetism in eddy current NDE.
  7. Knowledge of special techniques such as transient, potential drop nondestructive evaluation and the use of Hall sensors.
  8. Understand how to optimize a particular eddy current inspection by choice of probe type and operating frequency.

E M 480: Ultrasonic Nondestructive Evaluation

(Cross-listed with AER E)

Course Description

Introduction to stress/strain, Hooke’s law, and elastic wave propagation in two dimensions in isotropic media. Ultrasonic plane-wave reflection and transmission; and simple straight-crested guided waves. Transducer construction, behavior, and performance. Simple signal analysis and discrete signal processing. The last few weeks of the course are devoted to case studies.

Course Topics

  1. Plane waves in infinite solids
  2. Reflection and transmission of plane waves at a planar interface
  3. Surface waves
  4. Guided waves
  5. Ultrasound measurement systems and transducer characterization
  6. Transducer beam patterns
  7. Scattering
  8. Measurement models

Mat E 485X Penetrating Radiation Methods in Nondestructive Evaluation

Course Description

An introductory course to the science of radiography for use in nondestructive evaluation. Topics such as X-ray generation, X-ray interaction with matter, components necessary for image creation, automatic processing, densitometry, radiation protection, scatter radiation, factors controlling scatter radiation and digital/computed radiology will be covered. In addition, basic atomic structure and fundamental physics will be covered at the start of the course to ensure the student has a basic foundation upon which to build.

Course Topics

  1. Be able to explain the nature of radiation interactions with matter and how we use it in NDE.
  2. Comprehend the principles of x-ray imaging and x-ray computed tomography (CT).
  3. Deduce the capabilities and limitations in radiography and communicate those with technicians.
  4. Discern how x-ray computer models enhance and extend capabilities, especially in design.
  5. Be able to explain the similarities and differences between film and digital imaging.
  6. Distinguish the uses for x-ray diffraction, x-ray fluorescence, and dual energy x-ray.
  7. Be able to explain the pros and cons regarding neutron radiography.

C E 449: Structural Health Monitoring

(Dual-listed with C E 549)

Course Description

Introductory and advanced topics in structural health monitoring (SHM) of aeronautical, civil, and mechanical systems. Topics include sensors, signal processing in time and frequency domains, data acquisition and transmission systems, design of integrated SHM solutions, nondestructive evaluation techniques, feature extraction methods, and cutting-edge research in the field of SHM. Graduate students will have a supervisory role to assist students in 449 and an additional design project or more in-depth analysis and design.

Course Topics

  1. Sensor signal processing in time and frequency domains
  2. Data acquisition and transmission systems
  3. Design and integration of SHM systems
  4. Nondestructive evaluation topics
  5. Feature extraction methods
  6. Cutting edge research in SHM

E M 550: Nondestructive Evaluation

(Cross-listed with M S E)

Course Description

Principles of five basic NDE methods and their application in engineering inspections. Materials behavior and simple failure analysis. NDE reliability, and damage-tolerant design. Advanced methods such as acoustic microscopy, laser ultrasonics, thermal waves, and computed tomography are analyzed. Computer-based experiments on a selection of methods: ultrasonics, eddy currents, x-rays are assigned for student completion.

Course Topics

  1. Course introduction, history, principles and approaches.
  2. Materials and failure;
  3. Visual techniques: Visual inspection, fluorescent penetrant, magnetic particle, machine vision.
  4. Probability of detection
  5. Radiographic (X-ray) NDE: Principles
  6. Radiographic (X-ray) NDE: Applications
  7. Noise
  8. Mathematical preliminaries and the Fourier Transform
  9. Computed Tomography
  10. Ultrasound: Principles
  11. Ultrasound: Applications
  12. Thermography
  13. Eddy current: Principles
  14. Eddy current: Applications
  15. Other possible topics: T-Ray/GPR, Big Data analysis