Crack Detection in Armor Plates Using Ultrasonic Techniques

摘要

A method of using piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers to characterize the vibrational modes of ceramic Vehicle Body Armor Support System (VBASS) plates for the purpose of crack detection is presented. The amplitudes of the vibrational modes undamaged plates are compared to the vibrational mode amplitudes of damaged plates and are shown to be clearly different. VBASS plates for testing are damaged either by a blunt impact to the ceramic plate surface or cracked using a machine-shop press. Data from these tests will be used to design a prototype hand-held device for the nondestructive testing (NDT) of the VBASS plate structural integrity. VBASS plates are used as proof-of-principle samples in the absence of vest body armor samples.