Development of a New Crack Identification Technique Based on Near-Tip Singular Electrothermal Field Measured by Lock-in Infrared Thermography

Abstract

A new thermographic NDT technique was proposed, in which singular electrothermal field near crack tips under the application of periodically modulated electric current was measured using an infrared thermography combined with lock-in data processing technique. Experimental investigations were made on the resolution and the applicability in the identification of through-thickness artificial cracks and fatigue cracks embedded in steel and aluminum alloy plate samples. Modulated electric current was applied to the cracked sample by an induction coli. Lock-in thermal images synchronized to the reference current modulation signal were taken by the lock-in thermography. Significant singular electrothermal field was observed at the crack tip in the lock-in thermal image. The fatigue cracks as well as artificial cracks were found to be sensitively identified by the proposed technique in good resolution compared with the singular method using a conventional thermographic temperature measurement.