Virtual radiography and computed tomography: objectives, benefits, and recent results using xrsim

摘要

Numerical simulation of radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans enhances inspection reliability and efficiency by providing resalistic quantitative answers to non-trivial nondestructive evaluations of complex components. Simulations are not intended to replace carefully obtained experimental data. but rather to guide efforts so as to obtain the best, most complete dataset and interpretation possible using the limited resources available. Simulations have the added advanctage of being able to be used in a predictive (forward) mode as well as in an analytic or comparative (backward) mode. Effects of varying material properties can thuse the quantified, and once known, prevented or controlled more effectively. Similarly, bu using a computer simulation an actual dataset can be analyzed and the required fundamental parameters necessary to produce the observed dataset extracted, thus providing insight on material aging effects. This paper reviews currently available readiographic simulation codes and discusses our efforts to integrate one of these codes, XRSim, into our general inspection program.