Improved imaging technique for nondestructive evaluation using arbitrary virtual array source aperture (AVASA)

In this paper, we propose a new phased array imaging technique called Arbitrary Virtual Array Source Aperture (AVASA) to image deeper defects with an improved SNR with fewer transmissions. The approach is to transmit the ultrasound waves by electronic beamforming at several arbitrary virtual source positions to achieve higher focal depth to increase the SNR of the received A-scans. Backscattered signals are recorded with all the array elements. A high-resolution image is obtained on reception by virtually focusing on every point in the region of interest by signal coherence summation. In this paper, the proposed AVASA and TFM methods are employed for scanning the larger thickness structure with an unknown defect nature to contrast the defect SNR and the number of defect imaging. Compared with TFM imaging, the AVASA method shows a significantly increasing defect-detecting range with higher amplitude. To further improve the imaging quality and reduce the reconstruction time, the influence of the virtual source parameters on the AVASA imaging and a scanning strategy is demonstrated. A good agreement between the AVASA and TFM is observed, and the number of transmissions is required to inspect the test specimen using AVASA reduced by a factor of four to eight.