Calibration of Ultrasonic Testing for Faults Detection in Stone Masonry

M. Usai[1], S. Carcangiu[1], G. Concu[2]
[1]Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
[2]Department of Civil Engineering, Environmental and Architecture, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
Published in 2012

In the field of assessment methodologies, particular importance is given to Non-Destructive Testing Techniques, which aspire to achieve the highest number of information about materials and structures without altering their condition. Ultrasonic Testing exploits the transmission and reflection characteristics of mechanical waves with appropriate frequencies passing through the investigated item. An experimental program has been started with the aim of exploiting UT potentiality in stone masonry faults detection. A trachyte stone wall with an inside cavity has been used to test this methodology. COMSOL Multiphysics® has been used for modeling in the frequency domain the propagation of ultrasonic signals through the stone masonry, aiming at calibrating the characteristics of signal propagation by using data obtained from the experimental tests.