Fe Biel sua Snell's law ‘The relationship between the incident angle and refracted angles is governed by Snell's law that states: a Sing _ VI ‘Where: @ = incident angle Sing V2 B = refracted angle V1 = velocity in medium 1 V2. = velocity in medium 2 » MODE CONVERSION ‘A change in wave-form from one to another, together with the accompanying change in velocity, due to reflection or refraction at an interface. An example of mode conversion that we make use of is when the compression wave, generated by the so | crystal in a shear wave probe's perspex shoe, crosses an interface between the shoe and fa steel test piece and converts toa shear wave. Another example of mode change that we do not want to occur, e.g. shear waves changing to compression waves. This occws fairly regularly when carrying out a critical root scan on a single v fully penetrated weld with s shear wave probe, ie. some of the ultrasound entering the root bead can be reflected vertically up to the weld cap 40| and if a critical angle is exceeded, the wave mode will change from shear to compression. Accordingly on its return path to the probe, the received spurious signal displayed on the time base will represent an indication that appears to plot on fll stip just outside the weld side wall om the opposite side from the scanning surface. ‘The operator however will not be able to confirm this from the opposite side of the 50. | Weld on half skip which, if it had been an actual flaw, he would have expected to do 0. As this type of mode change/spurious indication gives a fairly characteristic signal display, an experienced operator would be expected to interpret this effect fairly easily It is also possible though that mode conversions and/or spurious indications can be ‘misinterpreted as flaws, particularly if not investigated carefully. ‘DIFFRACTION ‘This occurs when sound waves pass the tip of @ narrow reflector. Some of the sound scatters off the tip causing waves in different directions that reinforce or cancel out the original waves. ‘This results in a series of high and low intensity waves radiating out 70 | from the tips, giving the impression of sound bending around the edges of the defect. SEA <— ditties enerey - Stand wae See se > Loe Bas