System and Method for Detecting Damage, Defect, and Reinforcement in Fiber-Reinforced Polymer-Bonded Concrete Systems Using Far-Field Radar

Nondestructive testing (NDT) is crucial in many industries for maintaining the structural integrity of components, buildings, and systems. Regular inspection methods often involve some level of physical contact, which can pose risk or further damage to sensitive or deteriorated structures. Furthermore, the increasing complexity of structures and materials calls for more sophisticated inspection methods that can detect minute defects efficiently. Traditional inspection methods often fail to provide a comprehensive picture of the conditions, especially regarding multilayered structures. They lack precision and are time-consuming, hindering swift maintenance response. It's challenging to penetrate the surface to examine the underlying layers, and the results are often influenced by surface conditions. Therefore, there's a necessity for a more accurate, noncontact method that can detect defects in multilayer systems with high resolution.

Technology Description

This noncontact, nondestructive testing (NDT) technology uses far-field radar for detecting defects, damages, and reinforcement conditions in multilayer systems. It employs inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) measurements. The steps involved in the method include conducting far-field monostatic ISAR measurements, executing an imaging algorithm, and performing a progressive image focusing algorithm. This technology proves to be pioneering in the area of structural inspection because of its advanced and unique approach. Unlike standard methods, it doesn't require physical contact to conduct the tests, thereby negating associated risks and damage, especially for sensitive structures. The application of a progressive image-focusing algorithm offers high-resolution scans for accurate, thorough defects and damage identification.