EngD student, 2015 intake

Research:  Integrated Ultrasonic Imaging for the Inspection of Near-Surface Defects in Safety-Critical Components

University: Imperial College London

Sponsoring company: Rolls Royce (Submarines)

Background: Undergraduate Masters in Physics at University of Warwick, graduating in June 2015.

This EngD project will develop imaging and defect sizing for ultrasonic Non-Destructive Evaluation applied to safety critical components in the nuclear industry, using new methods to extend the capabilities beyond what is possible by conventional array imaging beam forming. This is based on the extraction of additional information in the signals related to the interaction of waves between multiple scatterers.  Such new approaches have become known as Super Resolution algorithms and it is these which will be developed in the project. The aims of the project is to develop improved imaging methods to:

– Optimise the detection and characterisation of a small defect at or near the back surface of a component, using an ultrasonic array at the front surface.

– Characterise properties of “difficult” host materials, so enabling improved contrast of defect images.

– Define the basis for the selection of frequency so as to optimise detection and characterisation of such defects in difficult materials.