A novel transition frequency for identification and evaluation of subsurface cracks based on alternating current field measurement technique

Subsurface cracks are more challenging to detect and evaluate compared to surface cracks. This paper introduces a novel transition frequency to identify and evaluate subsurface cracks using alternating current field measurement (ACFM) technique. A theoretical model is proposed to explore current disturbance mechanism for subsurface cracks under different frequencies. A 3D simulation model is established to validate the proposed theoretical model and investigate the effects of crack length, shape and specimen thickness on transition frequency. The ACFM testing system is used to detect subsurface cracks with different burial depths and explore the effect of lift-off on transition frequency. The results demonstrate that, with increasing frequency, the shape of Bx signal for subsurface cracks transitions from a trough to a peak, which can be utilized for identifying subsurface cracks. The burial depth can be accurately assessed by transition frequencies. The transition frequency is hardly affected by crack length, shape and lift-off.