Ship Hull Diagnostics

Nowadays ship hull diagnostics are carried out in dry-docks or using divers. Both technologies are time consuming, labor and material resource demanding.  Specialists from this country’s university have developed a diagnostics system that allows the ship‘shull inspection to be performed without using a dry-dock or divers.

The system includes the following main elements: aremotely operated vehicle that contains diagnostics tools, a hydro acoustic navigation system, software, and diagnostic technology.

The technology is based on an acoustic method of non-destructive testing. These SH-waves (Shear or Transverse) have elastic vibrations that can be used without surface contact. Since the waves do not require contact, no preparation or cleaning of the area needs to be done. SH-waves can be used for flaw detection using standard thickness measurements. The waves can also be used for corrosion crack detection using electromagnetic acoustic transducers with a 5 MHz frequency. It is planned to develop this system for use in ship hulls and steel structures located under the Arctic shelf.

What country’s university has developed this system?