A hybrid finite element model for simulation of electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) based plate waves

This paper reports simulations of the generation of Lamb wave modes in thin plates using a meander coil (meander line) EMAT, which works under the principle of Lorentz force mechanism in nonmagnetic materials. The numerical simulations have been compared with measurements. The numerical work presented in this paper is divided into two parts. First, a 2D electromagnetic model is developed for calculating the Lorentz force density, which is the driving force for elastic wave generation within the plate. Second, the calculated force at each point in the metal is used as the driving force for generating elastic wave modes in the plate. These calculated Lamb wave modes are compared with those generated experimentally in a thin plate. Additionally, the measured wave modes are analyzed with the help of dispersion curves and a time-frequency analysis. Our numerical work is also extended to analyze the interaction of Lamb wave modes with defects. The simulations compare favorably with the measurements presented here. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.