Ultrasonic testing (UT) methods are a fundamental component of non-destructive testing (NDT). They are widely used to inspect mechanical components such as welds (in nuclear and petrochemical industries) and composite material structures (in aeronautics). To understand the physical phenomena involved in a given configuration, simulation is a valuable tool and sometimes an essential step in implementing the inspection process.
Modeling approaches fall into two main categories: purely numerical models based on finite elements (FE) and semi-analytical methods derived from high-frequency (HF) approximations, such as paraxial rays. While the latter are often favored for their computational efficiency, they introduce simplifications that can compromise the quantitative accuracy of results, particularly for phenomena like dispersion (variation in wave speed with frequency), which are common in certain industrial contexts.
This thesis project aims to enhance the paraxial ray approach by integrating models of dispersive interfaces (composite interplies, coupling layers), dispersive viscoelastic media, and a modal guided wave model. The goal is to develop a simulation tool capable of faithfully reproducing realistic inspection configurations, thereby improving the representativeness of the results.