A Fast Interface Reconstruction Method for Frequency-Domain Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique Imaging of Two-Layered Systems with Non-planar Interface Based on Virtual Points Measuring

Frequency-domain synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT), such as non-stationary phase shift migration (NSPSM), plays an essential role in the ultrasonic imaging of two-layered systems with non-planar interfaces. However, with NSPSM fast imaging under blind test conditions is hard to realize due to a lack of interface information in practice. To overcome this difficulty, a fast interface reconstruction method for NSPSM imaging of non-planar two-layered systems is proposed based on virtual points measuring. In blind testing conditions, a series of virtual points (VP) were created at the non-planar interface of the two-layered system by the time-of-flight (TOF) of the first incoming echo. Then, the interface for the two-layered system was quickly established by the interpolation of the VP. Finally, the NSPSM imaging for the two-layered system with non-planar interfaces was realized by the borderline which is used to distinguish the velocities of the coupling medium and tested part in the same extrapolating depth. The imaging results showed that the position of side-drilled holes was located correctly and the efficiency of the algorithm was significantly improved. Hence, the VP-NSPSM method is expected to achieve fast or even real-time imaging of two-layered systems with non-planar interfaces in practical NDT applications.