Smart Ultrasound Sensor for Non-Destructive Tests

Ultrasounds plays a major role in Non-Destructive tests. An important application is the monitoring of the hardening process in cement-based materials. It was recently proven that ultrasound echoes reflected from the interface between a transmitting medium and the cement paste carry information about the status of the chemical process responsible of the cement hardening. In application like e.g. the monitoring of bridges or tunnels during construction, these sensors should be deployed in remote sites where they should work autonomously for days. Unfortunately, no electronics is currently available which satisfies the requirements for an industrial use. In this paper a completely configurable, embedded ultrasound system, capable of managing up to 8 ultrasound transducers, is presented. The proposed “smart” sensor can be remotely controlled through a web-based user-friendly interface, is portable, and can be programmed to perform a series of tests scheduled along days or months. An example of cement hydration process monitoring is presented to show the performances and versatility of the proposed system.