Patent ID: 8671761
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method of assessing bolted joint integrity, including the steps of: sending a guided wave through a structure that contains at least one bolted joint, which is at a given torque; measuring the guided wave that has subsequently propagated through the structure and interacted with said at least one bolted joint, thus obtaining a measured result at a level of said torque of said bolted joint; analyzing and storing the value of at least one parameter of the measured result of the guided wave after its travel through the structure and after having been affected by a nonlinear acoustic behavior of said at least one bolted joint; assessing joint integrity of said at least one bolted joint by sending a further guided wave through said structure and obtaining a second measured result at the level of said torque of said bolted joint, and then either comparing the value of at least one guided wave parameter of said second measured result to said stored value, or comparing values of at least one guided wave parameter measured for a plurality of bolted joints, to determine changes in at least one of wave propagation time and wave propagation shape; and indicating from any changes that are determined the integrity of said at least one bolted joint.