Detection of double defects for plate-like structures based on a fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm

A variety of signal processing algorithms have been proposed to detect and locate defects in plate-like structures. However, the signal-to-noise ratio in these algorithms is too small especially in the reflection wave from the boundary, which further degrades the accuracy of localization of defects. A novel method for localization of defects is proposed in this article, based on the direct wave and fuzzy c-means clustering algorithm. To verify its effectiveness, experiments using the parallel linear and circular array are conducted, respectively. The experimental results show that the proposed method not only accurately locates single defect but also locates double defects in plate-like structures, and by comparing with the current discrete elliptic imaging algorithm, its location error of single defect is reduced from 20–25 mm to 0–3 mm and double defects is also reduced from 60–90 mm to 0–3 mm.