SONIC UNIT FINDS BORERS IN PILES

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA RESEARCH COUNCIL IS USING A NONDESTRUCTIVE SONIC DEVICE TO MEASURE MARINE BORER DAMAGE TO UNDERWATER WOOD PILES. THE STRENGTH AND VELOCITY OF SOUND WAVES PASSING THROUGH WOOD VARY INVERSELY WITH THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE. THE COUNCIL DEVELOPED A DEVICE THAT PULSES ULTRA SONIC WAVES FROM A TRANSDUCER TOWARD THE HEART OF A PILE. THE WOOD RESPONDS BY EMITTING RADIAL WAVES THAT ARE PICKED UP, CONVERTED INTO AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL, AMPLIFIED AND FED INTO A CALIBRATED OSCILLOSCOPE. THE READING INDICATES THE CONDITION OF THE PILE. THE DEVICE CAN DETECT 4 OR 5 BURROWS IN A PILE. DUE TO THE EFFECT THEIR ECCENTRIC COURSES HAS ON SONIC IMPULSES, THE DEVICE CAN DETERMINE THE STRENGTH OF A PILE ONLY TO THE NEAREST QUARTER OF ITS ORIGINAL DESIGN STRENGTH.

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  • Supplemental Notes:
    • Vol 178, No 21, P 83, 2 PHOT
  • Publication Date: 1967-5-25

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  • Accession Number: 00216200
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS
  • Created Date: Oct 23 1994 12:00AM