METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PASSIVE DETECTION, LOCALIZATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MECHANICAL WAVE SOURCES USING ULTRASONIC GUIDED WAVES

摘要

A method and system for passively detecting, localizing, and/or characterizing a mechanical wave source at one or more spatial points of interest on a structure using ultrasonic guided waves are provided. The method includes estimating the spatial channel impulse response at one or more spatial points of interest using a movable transducer. Collected data recorded in response to transient mechanical waves is then combined with the spatial channel impulse response estimates to detect, localize, and/or characterize the source. A direct path from the mechanical wave source to each transducer is not required. Anisotropies and variations between transducer transfer functions may be accounted for and all propagation paths may be used to perform source localization. The method and system may leverage structural complexity rather than ignore it.