Program for field validation of the Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique for Ultrasonic Testing (SAFT UT)

This final report describes work performed by Southwest Research Institute for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in fulfillment of NRC Contract No. NRC-04-77-145; "Program for Field Validation of the Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique for Ultrasonic Testing (SAFT UT)." The purpose was to validate the effectiveness of SAFT UT as a nondestructive examination technique for nuclear power and other related industries. SAFT UT is an ultrasonic imaging method for accurate measurement of the spatial location and extent of acoustically reflective surfaces (flaws) contained in objects such as structural components and weldments in nuclear power reactor systems. The increased measurement accuracy offered by SAFT, when compared with that provided by measurement methods now in use, will improve the reliability of flaw severity assessment with resultant safety and economic benefits to the nuclear power industry. This report presents a comprehensive discussion of the work accomplished in evaluating the performance capabilities of the developed SAFT UT inspection system. Inspection results obtained using both 0-degree longitudinal and angle-beam operating modes are presented. These results include laboratory and nuclear power plant field site examinations on a variety of defect types contained within carbon and stainless steel flat plate and cylindrical test specimens or components. The SAFT UT processed data flaw images are evaluated by comparing them to results obtained from destructive sectioning or by using flaw fabrication data which predicted actual flaw depth, orientation and size. On the basis of these evaluations, conclusions are presented which summarize the performance capabilities of the SAFT UT inspection technique.