SEM-based Model for 2D SH Wave Propagation in Heterogeneous Medium

The cost of rehabilitation work climbs exponentially over time if a structure is not assessed effectively or if flaws go undetected in the early stage. Therefore, it is crucial to develop structural health monitoring technologies for diagnosing damage in concrete structures as soon as it occurs. Ultrasound-based approaches are becoming more and more prevalent in technical advancements for the detection of flaws and damages. However, to develop these techniques, it is necessary to excite actuator-based waves in the medium and receive them with sensors. Simulated data collection offers access to information that trials might not be able to provide while also being more convenient and controllable than experiment-based data collection. Therefore, a 2D shear horizontal wave propagation model is developed using the spectral element approach. The code models the medium with arbitrary shapes and flaws using external meshing software. On the medium surface, a network of dispersed actuators and sensors is then considered. Changes in the signal caused by an internal crack, void, or phase change of the reflected wave from the interface of another material are recorded, studied, and validated through the recorded signals from sensors. Compared to FEM-based models, the model offers a faster rate of convergence.