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PurdueX: Electrical-Based Non-Destructive Testing and Sensing

Learn how electrical-based nondestructive testing (NDT) methods and emerging infrastructure-sensing technologies are used to predict service life of civil engineering structures.

5 weeks
2–3 hours per week
Instructor-paced
Instructor-led on a course schedule
This course is archived

About this course

Skip About this course

Given that concrete elements are used in critical elements of infrastructure, determining the extent of degradation plays a critical role in managing the long-term performance of the concrete and identifying when to repair or replace it.

In this course, students will learn about electrical-based NDT methods and emerging infrastructure sensing technologies. Topics covered include commonly used NDT methods for steel and concrete structures and advanced infrastructure sensing techniques, such as eddy currents, wireless sensing, fiber optics, and embedded sensor networks.

The course also includes case studies so students can apply the knowledge to field inspection or monitoring of materials and structures.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Service Life, Field Inspection, Infrastructure, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT), Civil Engineering, Fiber Optics

What you'll learn

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  • Explain the basic principles of various electric and magnetic-based NDT methods.
  • Interpret the obtained data of electric and magnetic-based NDT methods.
  • Evaluate the materials and structure conditions and integrity based on the electric and magnetic-based NDT methods.
  • Report the NDT testing results in both oral and written format following the provided guidelines

Week 1:

  • Visual Inspections
  • Dye Penetration
  • Thermography Testing

Week 2:

  • Fundamentals of Eddy Current Testing
  • Equipment of the Eddy Current
  • Impedance Plots of Eddy Current
  • Factors That Could Affect Eddy Current Testing
  • Applications of Eddy Current Testing

Week 3:

  • Fundamentals of Radiographic Testing
  • Physics of Radiography Inspection
  • Image Formation of Radiography
  • Radiographic Inspection Applications

Week 4:

  • Introduction to Magnetic Particle Inspection
  • Magnetic Field Generation
  • Testing Particles
  • Demagnetization

Week 5:

  • Basic Principles of GPR Testing
  • GPR Wave Nature
  • Testing Setup and Method of GPR
  • GPR Data Processing Method
  • GPR Method Applications

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

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