Speaker: Matthew Dvorsky, ECpE Graduate Student
Advisor: Reza Zoughi, Kirby Gray (Battelle) Chair in Engineering, director of the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, and professor of ECpE
Title: Applications of Synthetic Aperture Radar 3D Polarimetry for Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE)
Abstract: Microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques have shown their effective utility in many applications. These techniques are well-suited for many situations given that they are non-contact, consist of compact systems, are optimally-suited for inspecting dielectric or composite structures, etc. In particular, imaging modalities based on polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques have been effectively used to produce high-resolution images revealing internal features and the presence of interior flaws. Polarimetry makes use of wave polarization, by measuring the polarization of the wave scattered by a target or flaw relative to the illumination wave polarization. This polarization can be used to ascertain critical properties and features of a target or a defect. For example, SAR 2D polarimetry has been used in the past to characterize the orientation and size of the surface-breaking cracks in metals (i.e., length, width, and depth). Typically, SAR 2D polarimetry methods make measurements using two orthogonal polarizations; however, targets in general have 3D geometries and thus should optimally be interrogated using three orthogonal polarizations. Recently, a 3D polarimetry technique that can be applied through SAR imaging was introduced, through which targets can be described by a 3×3 polarimetric scattering matrix. This presentation illustrates the utility of 3D polarimetry for NDE. The SAR 3D polarimetry technique will be introduced. This technique will then be demonstrated for some specific NDE applications, including characterization of waviness in carbon- and glass-fiber-reinforced composites and characterization of surface curvature. Results from polarimetric microwave and millimeter wave imaging experiments will be be presented.
Bio: Matthew Dvorsky received his B.S. degree in electrical engineering from in 2017 from Missouri University of Science and Technology. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Iowa State University (ISU). His research interests are in the area of microwave and millimeter-wave polarimetry, 3D synthetic aperture radar imaging, and nondestructive testing. He was a recipient of the ISU Research Excellence Award, the Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) Trapp Fellowship, the IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement (TIM) 2021 Outstanding Reviewer Award, the 2019 IEEE International Instrumentation & Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC) Student Travel Grant Award, the 2019 IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference Best Student Paper (2nd place), and was a finalist in the 2017 IEEE (International) AP-S Student Design Contest. He was the 2021 and 2022 Graduate Student Representative for the AdCom of the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society.