Fatigue crack detection using diffused lamb wave field – damage index vs. crack length estimation

Fatigue crack detection is one of the major problems in maintenance of engineering structures. Ultrasonic guided waves are used for fatigue crack detection in metallic plate components. The application involves Lamb wave propagation and the analysis of the diffused wave field. The cross-correlation function is used to obtain a damage index that reveals the initiation of fatigue crack. The major focus of the paper is on crack length estimation. The results demonstrate that crack length estimation based on Lamb wave propagation is challenging but not impossible.