Crack detection in beams by wavelet analysis of transient flexural waves

In this paper, a method of crack detection in beam is provided by wavelet analysis of transient flexural wave. Firstly, we introduce a rotational spring in the cracked-beam model, and calculate the transient flexural wave propagation by the Reverberation Matrix Method. Secondly, at any point in this beam, the arrival time of waves with different group velocities can be identified by means of analysis of wavelet transform. From the signal of mid-frequency flexural wave extracted by wavelet transform, we can exactly determine the existence and position of crack in the beam. Here, a similar experiment is also produced to test the transient strain signal in beam, and the result after wavelet transform analysis is shown in accord with the theoretical one. Therefore, a powerful method is proved by the theoretical and experimental studies on the cracked beam, which can detect the crack accurately utilizing the wavelet analysis of the mid-frequency flexural wave.