NDT

ULTRASONIC TESTING
FORMULAE AND DATA

1. Velocity of ultra sound

v=f = distance / time

where v = velocity of ultra sound
f = frequency of probe

=v/f

where = wave length [cm]

v = velocity of ultra sound [cm/ s]
f = frequency of probe [MHz]

2. S e n s i t i v i t y = / 2 = v/ (2 f)

where = wave length of ultrasound

3. Resonance frequency of test object

f = v / (2 T)

where T = thickness of test object

v = velocity of longitudinal wave

Thickness of a crystal = T = / 2

4. VL = (E / )

where VL = velocity of Longitudinal wave

E = Young s modulus

= density of the medium or material

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5. VT = (G / )

where V T = velocity of transverse wave

G = shear modulus
= density of the medium or material

6. Acoustic impedance of a material

Z= v

where = density of the material

v = velocity of ultra sound

7. Reflection coefficient or factor

R= (Z1 - Z2)2 / (Z1 + Z2)2

where Z1 = acoustic impedance of incident wave material

Z2 = acoustic impedance of transmitted wave material

T+R=1
T=1-R

T % + R% = 100%
T% = 100% R%

where T = Transmission coefficient or factor

8. For normal probe (Straight beam) pulse echo technique:

S = v t /2
where S = sound path
v = velocity of ultra sound
t = elapsed time= time of flight = travel time

t=2S /v

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9. Snell's Law holds true for shear waves as well as longitudinal waves
sin 1 / V1= sin 2 / V2

where 1= angle of incident

2= angle of refraction
V1 = the acoustic velocity in first material.
V2 = the acoustic velocity in second material.

sin 2 = sin 1 (V2/ V1 )

sin 1 = sin 2 (V1/ V2 )

10. First Critical angle for interface of two media

1st, crit = sin-1 (VL,1/ VL,2 )

where V L,1 = longitudinal wave velocity in first material

VL,2 = longitudinal wave velocity in second material

Second Critical angle for interface of two media

2nd, crit = sin-1 (VL,1/ VT,2 )

where V L,1 = the longitudinal wave velocity in first material

VT,2 = the transverse wave velocity in second material

11. Length of Near filed (Fresnel Zone)

N = D2 / (4 ) = D2 f / (4 v)

where = wave length

D = diameter of probe

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12. Beam spread
sin /2 = 1.2 ( / D ) = 1.2 v / (f D )

where /2 = beam divergence half angle for the theoretical null point
= wave length
D = diameter of probe or transducer

Beam diameter at depth = 2 d tan ( /2)

13. Scanner speed = (PRR / Number of hits) × Effective diameter of probe

Speed of test part = (PRR / Number of hits) × Effective diameter of probe

where
Effective dia. of probe = Dia. of probe 2 [ (Dia. of probe) × (Percent of overlap between scan / 100) ]
PRR = Pulse Repetition Rate

Linear speed of disc or pipe in mm/ s = 2 r (RPM / 60)

where r = radius of disc or pipe in mm

RPM = Number of Rotation of pipe Per Minute = Revolution Per Minute

14. Distance between T & R probes in Tandem technique = 2 tan (T d)

where T = thickness of material
= probe angle
d = depth of discontinuity

15. For comparing two pulses from the same depth (for same FBH and other conditions are same)
dB = 20 log (A 2 / A 1 ) = 20 Log10 log (H 2 / H 1 ) = 20 log (H 2 / H 1 )

where dB = change in gain = G2 - G1

H1 = pulse height or pulse amplitude at gain G1
H2 = pulse height at gain G2

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 For comparing two pulses from the different depths (other conditions are same)
dB = 20 log (H 1 / H 2 )

where dB= attenuation of ultrasonic wave in material for depth of d2 - d1

H1 = pulse height at depth d1
H2 = pulse height at depth d2

16. Inverse square Law

I 1 (d 1 ) 2 = I2 (d2)2

where I 1 = intensity of acoustic wave at metal distance d1

I2 =intensity of acoustic wave at metal distance d2

17. Quality factor of transducer

Q = fr / (f2 f1)

where fr = resonance (fundamental) frequency of transducer

f2 = frequency above fr where amplitude is 0.707 of amplitude at fr
f1 = frequency below fr where amplitude is 0.707 of amplitude at fr
f2 f1 = band width

18. VT ½ VL
VR 0.9 VT

where VT = velocity of Transverse wave

VR = velocity of Rayleigh wave or Surface wave

VR (9/10) VT

VR 0.45 VL

VP (f, T, m), where Vp is velocity of Plate wave, T is part thickness, m is material

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19. FBH with different diameter at same metal distance

H1 / H2 = (D1)2 / (D2)2

where H1 = pulse height for FBH with diameter D1

H2 = pulse height for FBH with diameter D2

H1 = H 2 ( D 1 ) 2 / (D2)2

20. FBH with same diameter at different metal distance

H1 / H2 = (d 2 ) 2 / (d1)2

wher e H1 = pulse height for FBH at metal distance d1

H2 = pulse height for FBH at metal distance d2

21. H1 / H2 = [(d 2 ) 2 (D1)2 ] / [ (d1)2 (D2)2 ]

wher e H1 = pulse height for FBH with diameter D1 at metal distance d1

H2 = pulse height for FBH with diameter D2 at metal distance d2

22. Attenuation factor or attenuation of the material

A = [1/ (2 d)] 20 log (H 2 / H 1 )

where A = attenuation of the material

H1 = initial pulse height
H2 = pulse height after travelling distance d

23. Normal probe inspection

d=S

where S = sound path

d = depth of discontinuity

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24. For weld inspection by Angle probe
Probe angle = 90 (Groove angle / 2)
Groove angle = 2 × (90 Probe angle)

24. Angle Beam weld inspection

Cos = T / S

T = S Cos

SD = S sin

where S = sound path

SD = surface distance
= probe angle

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d = S cos ( if defect in 1st leg of V path)

d = 2 T [S × cos ] ( if defect in 2nd leg of V path)

where S = sound path

d = depth of discontinuity
= probe angle

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 IMMERSION TECHNIQUE

1. R = f [(n 1) / n]

where R = Radius of curvature of concave of lens used in immersion technique

f = focal length of lens (Plexiglass or Perspex ) in water
n = (velocity of acoustic L-wave in lens/ velocity of acoustic L-wave in water)
n = VL, perspex / VL, water = 0.273/ 0.148 =1.84 1.8

2. Water path equivalent = T (VL, material / VL, water )

where T = material thickness

L = Longitudinal wave
VL, steel / VL, water = 0.590/ 0.148 4

Minimum water path required = 0.25 in. + T / ( V L, material / VL, water ).

= 6 mm + T / ( VL, material / VL, water ).

3. f = Water path + [ Desired distance of focus in material × (VL, material / VL, water ) ]

Water path = f [ Desired distance of focus in material × (VL, material / VL, water ) ]

where f = focal length of lens in water

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4. sin = __x_
(D/ 2)

x = (sin ) (D/ 2)

= (V L, water/ V T, material ) (sin ) (D/ 2)

where x = off-set distance of probe to produce transverse (T) wave in material

= incident angle of acoustic beam in water

= refraction angle of T- wave in material

D = outer diameter (OD) of testing material

5. Tube products
ID = OD (2 T)

where ID = inner diameter of tube

OD = outer diameter of tube
T = tube thickness

MATERIAL VELOCITY (cm/microsecond) Acoustic Impedance

(Z)
Longitudinal Transverse (× 106 kg/m2/s )
(VL) (VT)
Aluminum 0.632 0.313 17
Titanium 0.610 0.312 27.7

Steel 0.590 0.323 45

Plexiglass/ Perspex 0.273 0.143 3.2

Water 0.148 ---- 1.5

Air 0.33 ---- 0.00033
Oil (Transformer) 1.38 ---- 1.27

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Prepared by:

PRAVEEN INSTITUTE OF RADIATION TECHNOLOGY

(NDT TRAINING DIVISION)
CHENNAI- 600 063
INDIA

www.pirtchennai.com
Email: [email protected]
Ph: +91-9500154192

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