Diagnostic imaging for damage detection in plates based on topological acoustic (TA) sensing technique

Traditional structural damage detection methods in aerospace applications face challenges in accuracy and sensitivity, often necessitating multiple sensors to evaluate various measurement paths between the reference and defective states. However, the recently developed topological acoustic (TA) sensing technique can capture shifts in the geometric phase of an acoustic field, enabling the detection of even minor perturbations in the supporting medium. In this study, a diagnostic imaging method for damage detection in plate structures based on the TA sensing technique is presented. The method extracts the geometric phase shift index (GPS-I) from the Lamb wave response signals to indicate the location of the damage. Using Abaqus/CAE, a finite element model of the plate was established to simulate the Lamb wave response signals, which were then used to validate the feasibility of the proposed method. The results indicate that this technique enables rapid and precise identification of damage and its location within the plate structure, requiring response signals from only a few points on the damaged plate, and it is reference-free.