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A testing procedure for determining ultrasonic wave velocity

Y. Zarei, A. Uromeihy, M. Reza Nikoodel and M. Fathollahy

Abstract: 

Numerous studies have been performed to apply the ultrasonic wave velocity (UWV) as a fast and non-destructive method to determine required parameters in different engineering fields. During this laboratory study, an ultrasonic testing apparatus was designed to provide accurately the standard conditions of UWV method. This apparatus consists of one holder bench, some steel rods, one load ring, and some other accessories. It properly holds the sample and applies a stress equally distributed to the entire samples during ultrasonic tests, which makes similar, uniform, and controlled conditions and, thus, more consistent results would be possible. The pressure and shear wave velocities of 500 specimens were measured manually and by using the designed testing apparatus. The results show that wave velocities obtained by testing apparatus were higher and more accurate in comparison to manual methods. More precisely, the difference between P-wave velocities gained from two methods was on average of 52 and 93 m/s for intact and rock mass specimens, respectively. The discrepancy in S-wave velocities was higher and reached on average 68 and 101 m/s.