An Improved Ultrasonic Technique for Three Dimensional Inclusions

Abstract

Conventional C-scan ultrasonic techniques are excellent for imaging two dimensional defects such as delaminations, cracks, and plate type inclusions [1]. This technique is most effective when these defects are oriented parallel to the scanning plane. However, for three-dimensional inclusions difficulties are encountered when the conventional scanning technique is adopted. If one wants to reconstruct the three dimensional inclusion from generated C-scan images at different depths a significant amount of error is introduced in its size and shape. Even for a simple 3D object such as a sphere it is often difficult to accurately estimate its size and location from its C-scan generated image.