In materials consisting of several thin layers, multiple reflections within the structure give rise to received ultrasonic signals composed of overlapping echoes. In this paper we present a parametric model that can be used to decompose such signals into the individual reflections. We derive a Maximum Likelihood Estimator for the model parameters, which are then used in a Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test (GLRT) to detect flaws in multi-layered structures. We show with simulations how the presence of a thin bonding layer in a three-layer structure can be detected. The probability of detection is shown to be approx= 96percent, for a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 15 dB and a probability of false alarm of 5percent.
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