The Federal Highway Administration has sponsored the development of a new system for fatigue crack detection and quantification of fatigue cracks in steel bridges. The NDE technology selected for the new system is based on earlier studies that have identified the best methods for this task. The new system that has been developed is based on previous work which produced two portable instruments that were field tested but were not widely accepted. The best characteristics from these systems have been integrated into a single instrument, using portable computer technology and adapted to the bridge inspection environment. The new system, which has come to be known as the New Ultrasonic-Magnetic Detection System (NUMAC), is configured as a backpack with a heads-up display that leaves the inspectors hands free to climb the structure and to view the inspection site simultaneously while viewing the ultrasonic or magnetic signals. The operation of the system controlled with a mouse or a keyboard. Importantly, the accuracy and repeatability of the NUMAC is combined with the ability to store inspection data. The stored data can be used to document condition, demonstrate and identity important trends, and efficiently channel resources. The flexibility of the portable computer based NDE system is intended to provide a basic, reliable and cost- effective instrument for steel bridge inspection.

Date Published: 19 May 1995
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 2456, Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Bridges and Highways, (19 May 1995); doi: 10.1117/12.209775

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2456:
Nondestructive Evaluation of Aging Bridges and Highways
Steven B. Chase, Editor(s)