An algebraic reconstruction imaging approach for corrosion damage monitoring of pipelines

In this paper, an algebraic reconstruction technique is presented for corrosion damage monitoring in steel pipes by using helical guided ultrasonic waves. To validate the proposed approach, numerical simulations as well as experimental tests were carried out. For the numerical simulations, a finite element model was created using ABAQUS software to simulate wave propagation in a steel pipe. The model simulates corrosion damage by reducing the thickness of the pipe in a selected location. Experimental tests were conducted on a steel pipe instrumented with a network of six low-profile piezoelectric transducers. Reconstructed images from both the numerical simulations and experimental tests accurately localized the simulated damages. These results suggest that the proposed imaging algorithm has the potential to be effectively used for continuous monitoring of pipelines.