Abstract: The distribution characteristics of the sound field of the pulse wave from an ultrasonic transducer are discussed. It is known that these characteristics influence greatly the ratio of flaw detection and the accuracy of flaw evaluation. A new method to calculate the distribution of sound pressure of a transducer pulse field is proposed. The distribution of sound pressures of transducers with different bandwidths is calculated. An experimental system for the measurement of the transducer pulse field is developed. The theoretically calculated results are in good agreement with the experimentally measured results. These results provide a new way for the simulation of transducer pulse fields and are also of theoretical value for the improvements of the ratio of flaw detection and the accuracy of flaw evaluation.

Key words: ultrasonic testing, non-destructive testing, sound field of pulse wave, distribution of sound pressure, sound field of continuing wave, flaw evaluation