LAUSR

The evaluation of the stress–strain state of metallic materials is an important problem in the field of non-destructive testing (NDT). Prolonged cyclic loading or overloading will lead to permanent changes of material strength in an inconspicuous manner that poses threat to the safety of structures, components and products. This research focuses on gauging the mechanical strength of metallic alloys through the application of frequency-domain laser ultrasound (FDLU) based on a continuous-wave diode laser source. The goal is to develop industrial NDT procedures for fatigue monitoring in metallic substrates and coatings so that the technique can be used for mechanical strength assessment. A small-scale, non-commercial rig was fabricated to hold the sample and conduct tensile FDLU testing in parallel with an adhesive strain gauge affixed on the tested sample for independent measurement of the applied stress. Harmonic modulation and lock-in detection were used to investigate the LU signal sensitivity to the stress–strain state of ordinary aluminum alloy samples. A 1 MHz focused piezoelectric transducer was used to detect the LU signal. During the tensile procedure, both amplitude and phase signals exhibited good repeatability and sensitivity to the increasing stress–strain within the elastic regime. Signals beyond the elastic limit also revealed significant change patterns.