Infrared Inspection Test Specimen for Structural Defect Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing infrared inspection methods for structures, such as bridges, face challenges in accurately assessing the heat environment, especially for structures with small member-thickness, as they fail to account for indirect effects like solar radiation, leading to low accuracy in detecting defects.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a plate-shaped test specimen with a heat conductive member is directly attached to the structure, allowing for smooth heat conduction and simulating the structure's heat environment, thereby enhancing the accuracy of infrared inspections by reflecting the structure's heat conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a test specimen is disposed in the vicinity of the structure, then the inspection can be performed without approaching the structure, but the heat environment cannot be accurately represented for structures with small member-thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a test specimen that copies the thermal characteristics of the structure by incorporating the same thermal insulation layer and abnormal portion configuration. This copy allows the test specimen to replicate the heat environment of the structure, enabling accurate infrared inspection without directly approaching the structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The test specimen acts as an intermediary between the inspector and the structure. By placing the test specimen in a location where it can still represent the structure's heat environment (even for structures with small member-thickness), it mediates the inspection process, allowing remote inspection while maintaining measurement accuracy.
2Device complexity
If the test specimen does not account for indirect effects like solar radiation, then the inspection method is simpler, but the accuracy of detecting defects is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the test specimen's parameters by incorporating a thermal insulation layer with specific thermal conductivity and thickness, and by positioning the abnormal portion at specific depths. These parameter changes enable the test specimen to account for indirect effects like solar radiation, thereby improving defect detection accuracy while maintaining reasonable method complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The test specimen incorporates local quality variations by including an abnormal portion with different thermal properties at a specific depth. This local abnormality, combined with the thermal insulation layer, allows the test specimen to accurately represent the heat environment and detect defects, accounting for both direct and indirect thermal effects.
3Measurement precision
If the test specimen is directly attached to the structure, then the heat environment alignment is improved, but the attachment process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thermal insulation layer as an intermediary between the test specimen and the structure. This layer facilitates smooth heat conduction while allowing the test specimen to be attached to the structure, thereby achieving heat environment alignment without requiring complex attachment procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The test specimen and the thermal insulation layer are designed with homogeneous thermal properties that match the structure's thermal characteristics. This homogeneity ensures smooth heat conduction and accurate heat environment representation, simplifying the attachment process while maintaining measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables accurate discrimination between abnormal and sound portions, even under complex conditions, by ensuring the test specimen's heat environment aligns with the structure's, thus improving the effectiveness of infrared inspections.
Implementation Method 1
a heat conductive member which is interposed between a structure to be inspected for defects by an infrared camera and a test specimen produced to represent the structure and attached to the structure, to provide smooth heat conduction from the structure to the test specimen
Implementation Method 2
a method of infrared inspection which is capable of inspecting the structure in a wide range with high efficiency without necessity of approaching the structure
Data Source
AI summary
A test specimen having a to-be-photographed surface and an attachment surface which is a back side thereof is produced, and attached to a structure. An artificial abnormal portion is provided between a to-be-inspected surface of the structure and the to-be-photographed surface of the test specimen. The to-be-photographed surface of the test specimen is photographed by the infrared camera. When a surface temperature difference between the abnormal and the sound portions increases to a certain level on the to-be-photographed surface, it is capable of discriminating between the abnormal and the sound portions by an infrared thermal image of the test specimen. In a time zone in which discriminating between the abnormal and the sound portions is capable, the to-be-inspected surface of the structure is photographed by the infrared camera. If there is a damage in the surface layer of the structure, a damaged position can be discriminated by an infrared thermal image.