Patent ID: 6186006
Filing Date: 2001-02-13
Classification: G01N,G01S

Abstract:
A method for testing and monitoring a structure by nondestructive three-dimensional detection of structural elements in said structure, said method comprising the steps of:scanning an area of the structure to be investigated with ultrasound;recording high-frequency, travel-time dependent ultrasound scan data for individual scanned points within the scanned area,imaging a three-dimensional image of the scanned area from the recorded ultrasound scan data,providing an image representation of the area as a function of density changes and sound speed differences,scanning the area to be investigated with radar,creating a structural representation of the scanned area based on data acquired in the radar scan,providing an image representation of the area as a function of dielectric constants, andcalibrating the three-dimensional image of the scanned area determined from the ultrasound scan with the structural representation of the scanned area based on the radar scan by varying radar and ultrasound parameters to thereby provide testing and monitoring of the structure.