Tremendous interest has surfaced recently on the use of guided waves in pipe inspection in the oil, chemical, and power generating industries. Relatively long lengths of piping can be inspected for corrosion and cracking from a single probe position. This saves a great deal of time and money compared to using more standard point-by-point normal beam inspection procedures. Pipes can be inspected without removing insulation or tar coatings by controlling the guided wave modes and frequencies used to carry out the study. This paper will review the history and state of the art of the guided wave techniques in piping. Benefits and limitations of the various methods will be pointed out along with a vision of future directions in the area of pipe and elbow inspection.
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