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Ultrasonic Non Destructive Testing of metallic tubes. Modelling,simulation, comparison with experimental results and parametric studies
Non destructive testings play an essential role in industrial
production, in particular in the areas where products quality is
critical to safety, such as nuclear. Numerical modeling is one of the means used to understand and master controls. The company CEZUS pursues a project of modeling of its ultrasonic testing for metal tubes used in nuclear fuel assembly..
The experimental study of the control is necessary to establish the influence of the various parameters on variability and accuracy. This study also guides the choices made for modeling. To accomplish this, an experimental reproduction of the factory control is realised in the laboratory.
Modeling of ultrasonic testing must be sufficiently precise while
retaining reasonable computation time. For this, a hybrid model
combining a semi-analytical method using the Rayleigh integral with a finite difference method is developed. Finally, the hybrid model is implemented in an operational industrial simulation platform.
The validation process of simulation results is based on the
confrontation with experimental measurements in specific configurations. Signals comparisons show a good qualitative prediction but an incomplete quantitative prediction, especially concerning the relative amplitudes. Finally, the simulation platform allows the exploration of control configurations experimentally inaccessible.