Proceedings of the 2012 9th International Pipeline Conference IPC2012 September 24-28, 2012, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

IPC2012-90033
ALGORITHM STUDY FOR METAL MAGNETIC MEMORY SIGNAL PROCESSING
Zhanjun Feng1 Weibin Wang1 Hongjun Dong2 Song Lin1 Dianxue Wang2 1. PetroChina Pipeline R&D Center, kjfengzj@petrochina.com.cn Langfang, Hebei, China, 065000 2. PetroChina Pipeline Company, Langfang, Hebei, China, 065000 3. Lanzhou Oil&Gas Transmission Sub-company, PetroChina Pipeline Company, Lanzhou Kai Wu3

KEYWORDS Non Destructive Test; Metal Magnetic Memory Signal, Magnetic Memory, Singularity Detection, Signal Processing ABSTRACT Currently, Metal Magnetic Memory (MMM) nondestructive testing has been applied on trenchless inspection for buried pipeline. However, the problem of signal pattern recognition still exists. This paper introduces two signal processing methods to enhance the inspection accuracy of MMM: the signal segmented fluctuation and the signal segmented dissimilarity. Both of the two methods are designed for Signal singularity detection (SSD) of MMM signal. It is well known that the MMM signal of the stress concentrated area (SCA) is more fluctuant and dissimilar in contrast to those of non SCA, which is the basis of deriving the two algorithms. The two methods have the advantage in the detection of the metallic work piece which is non defective in looks but fatigued as well as may be helpful to detect the singularity of the signals such as negative pressure wave, ultrasonic wave etc. Experimental result with real data demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms. Moreover, the MMM SSD software implementation is considered. INTRODUCTION Signal singularity detection (SSD) is one of the key techniques for non destructive test (NDT) such as negative pressure wave, pressure gradient, ultrasonic wave etc. . Nowadays, the NDT based on metal magnetic memory (MMM) has been widely used [1-6]. With its working principle[1-2], it is obvious that the SSD is required for MMM based NDT. Therefore, it is necessary to research SSD algorithms. Theoretically, the MMM signal corresponding to defective area of the tested work piece, i. e. stress concentrated area (SCA) is maximized in energy for its tangential component, while zero-crossed for its normal component. These two

features of MMM signal are both the foundation and the destination for us to design processing algorithms. On the basis of the two features, up till now, the existent MMM SSD methods may be classified in two categories: One finds the defective position by detecting the MMM tangential signal energy maximum, while the other the normal gradient. In practice, however, with the noise, the aforementioned two features of the MMM signal for SCA become unapparent [5]. Moreover, for the metallic work piece which is non defective in looks but fatigued, nevertheless its stress is concentrated, the SCA MMM signal features are blured. To alleviate the noise, it is necessary to low-pass filter the raw MMM signal. At present, de-noising technique based on wavelet analysis is hot research topic in NDT area. Its main idea is to complete decomposition and reconstruction of the signal by wavelet function and scalar function. Because of the weak correlation of noise, as long as the wavelet-decomposed high frequency coefficients are weakened with certain rules before reconstruction, the noise is reduced. However, practically no matter what filter methods, including wavelet analysis, are utilized, it is difficult to select appropriate filter parameters. If the filter bandwidth is too narrow, the filtered SCA MMM signal singularity is demolished in spite of its smoothness. On the contrary, if the filter bandwidth is too wide, the filtered signal is spurious, which leads to the difficulty in detecting the peak of the signal energy curve. To solve the deficiency of the low-pass-filtering based MMM SSD, two novel SSD methods: the signal segmented fluctuation and the signal segmented dissimilarity are proposed. Both of the approaches are derived from the fact that the MMM signal for non SCA is even and stationary and comparatively, the SCA MMM signal fluctuates heavily, which implies that it is dissimilar from the former. The two methods avoid the troubles of designing the low-pass filter with no filtering required, which is favorable to software realization as well as computationally more efficient.

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With the simplicity and the accordance with the reality, Gauss distribution is widely utilized. With no exception in this paper, the probability distribution concerned in the following is assumed Gaussian (the explanation is given in the following). DESCRIPTIONS OF THE ALGORITHMS A.. Signal Segmented Fluctuation Method 1) Principle In comparison with the non SCA MMM signal, the SCA MMM signal is always more fluctuant. Consequently, if the MMM signal is segmented in an interval, the SCA segment signal should have a great fluctuation, and in return we can determine whether there exists defect in a certain segment according to its MMM signal fluctuation. By statistical theory, the fluctuation of a signal can be measured by its standard deviation. For an N-point signal series S :{ s n , n = 1, 2, 3 L N } , its sample standard deviation, i. e. fluctuation can be calculated by

segments are similar to each other, while different from those from the SCA segments. The method confirms whether there exists defect in one segment or not just by its dissimilarity compared with other segments. It is well known that the dissimilarity and similarity are complementary to one another, and therefore the dissimilarity between two series S:{ s n , n [1, N ]} and W :{ w n , n [1, N ]} can be obtained by

= 1-

S W

( sn E S )( wn EW ) N n =1
N

(3)

where E , E W , , W are respectively the means and the standard deviations of the series corresponding to their subscripts. By (3), if two series are identical, their dissimilarity is 0. 2) Implementation The implementation process of the algorithm is as below. a) Segment the raw MMM signal in an appropriate interval, assuming that the signal is separated into M segments. b) Compute the dissimilarity between signals of different segments from (3), the dissimilarity matrix is obtained

1 ES= N

n =1

sn

(1)
1 2

S= N -1

n =1

(sn E S )2

(2)

where E S is the sample mean of the series. 2) Implementation The SSD algorithm based on signal segmented fluctuation can be implemented by the following steps. a) Segment the raw MMM signal in an appropriate interval, assuming that the signal is separated into M segments. b) Compute the fluctuation of each segment signal from (1) and (2). The fluctuation series { m , m [1, M ]} is obtained. Calculate the sample mean E and the sample standard deviation of the series { m , m [1, M ]} c) d) With the fluctuation series { m m [1, M ]} 2 N(E , ) Gaussian-distributed, compute the cumulative probability series { P m , m [1, M ]} one by one corresponding to it. e) The m th segment is determined to be defective with the probability P m if P m is greater than the given threshold. B.. Signal segmented dissimilarity method 1) Principle What the method is based on is that if the raw MMM signal is divided into many segments in a given interval, the number of the SCA segments is supposed to be far less than that of the non SCA segments, in other words, it is little probability event for a segment to be defective. The signals from non SCA

11 12 22 R MM = 21 L L M 1 M 2

L 1M L 2M L L L MM

(4)

where ij i [1, M ], j [1, M ] denotes the dissimilarity between the signals of the i th and j th segments. Obviously, from (3), R MM is not only symmetry but also all of its diagonal elements are zero.
c)

Get the dissimilarity series by

Dm= 1 M

n=1

mn

, m [1, M ]

(5)

d) Calculate the sample mean E D and the sample standard deviation D of the dissimilarity series.
2 With the dissimilarity { D m , m [1, M ]} N(E D , D ) Gaussian-distributed, compute the cumulative probability D series { P m , m [1, M ]} one by one corresponding to it.

e)

D If P m exceeds the given threshold, the m th segment D is determined to be defective with the probability Pm .

f)

C.. Discussions about the Methods 1) About Selecting of the Detection Threshold

Both of the two SSD methods proposed in this paper require a detection threshold. An appropriate detection threshold is crucial for SSD accuracy. A low threshold would bring false singularity on, while a high threshold may miss a

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Fluctuation

real singularity. There are two reasons for which the fluctuation series and dissimilarity series obtained by segmenting raw MMM signal, as aforementioned, are supposed to be Gaussiandistributed. Firstly, Gaussian-distribution, which is comprehensible, widely used, and completely described with the second-order moment, is followed by many natural and social phenomena [7]. Secondly, according to the statistical theory, supposing raw MMM signal is Gaussian-distributed, which is coincident with reality, for large sample data, the shapes of the probability density functions of the fluctuation series and the dissimilarity series are close to Gaussian2 distribution. For example, n distribution, which is followed by sample variance of normal population, is very similar to the Gaussian-distribution with the degree of freedom n larger than 11. And the character is common to t distribution and F distribution usually used in statistical testing theory. With Gaussian-distribution the threshold can be selected by the 3 criterion, which means that it is little probability event for a Gaussian-distributed random variable to exceed three times of its standard deviation. In the case of MMM signal, the singularity or defect can be confirmed.
2) About Defect Integration a) Integration of the defects across segments. Both of the two proposed methods need to segment the raw MMM signal and a SCA may distribute across two or more adjacent segments. Therefore, in practical processing, it is necessary to integrate the defects from adjacent segments into one defect. b) Integration of the defects from multi-channel signals. In general, the real MMM signals are acquired from two channels at least: tangential channel and normal channel. Because of noise, the MMM signal singularity of a SCA may be detected from either one or both of two channels. If the latter is true, the confidence probability that defect exists needs to be increased. c) Integration of the defects detected by two or more methods. The defect may be detected by multiple methods at the same area of a MMM signal and in this case, just as the integration of the defects from multi-channel signals, the defect confidence probability also needs to be enhanced. EXAMPLES FOR MMM SSD The defect or singularity detection was performed by using the two proposed methods on the MMM tangent and normal signals of buried petro-pipeline. The detection threshold was set according to 3 criterion, the segment is 2048 mm in length. A.. Example for Signal Segmented Fluctuation Method Fig. 1 shows the tangential and normal components of real MMM signal of some buried petro-pipeline. It is known that the defect exists from 18 to 26 m.

100 Magnetic field intensity/J 0 Tangential -100 -200 -300 -400 0 10 20 Position/m 30 40 Normal

Fig. 1 Real data 1: defect exists from 18 to 26 m. By using the signal segmented fluctuation method, the obtained fluctuation series is shown as Fig. 2.
35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Normal Tangential

10

20 Position/m

30

40

Fig. 2 Segmented fluctuation curve The cumulative probability curve corresponding to the fluctuation series is shown in Fig. 3.
Normal Tangential

Cumulative probability

0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0

10

20 Position/m

30

40

Fig. 3 Fluctuation cumulative probability curve From Fig. 3, the segmented fluctuation cumulative probability curves for both of the normal and tangential MMM signal are similar in varying trend. By integrating the tangential and the normal cumulative probability curves with an appropriate threshold selected, it can be determined that there exist defects in the 1st segment (0-2.0m), the 11th-13th segments (20.5-26.6 m) and the 18th segment (34.8-36.8 m). The detected defect from 20.5 to 26.5 m is in accordance with the practice, which shows the method is valid.

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B.. Example for Signal Segmented Dissimilarity Method The real tangential and normal MMM signals of another buried petro-pipeline are shown in Fig. 4. The real defect is known near 34 m.
200 100 0 -100 -200 -300 -400 0 10 20 30 Position/m Normal 40 50 Tangential

Magnetic field intensity/J

CONSIDERATION ABOUT SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION Today, with computer and software technologies highly developed, an algorithm, no matter how excellent its performance is, would not work unless it is implemented in software. In MMM SSD software implementation, the following should be taken into account. a) Implementating multiple SSD algorithms. On one hand, the features of MMM signal from different types of defects are finely different from one another; On the other hand, no MMM SSD algorithm is omnipotent. Consequently, MMM SSD software ought to comprise multiple algorithms, which would enhance the fitness to defects and meanwhile found the defect classification. b) raw MMM signal and SCA visualization. Raw MMM signal and the detected defect visualization is helpful for operator to accumulate experience, and select the proper parameters. c) Enabling selection of analysis parameters. The algorithm concerned parameters can be selected by humanmachine interface for optimum defect detection. CONCLUSION Two MMM SSD methods based on MMM signal features have been described in this paper. Both of the two methods do not require filter processing to raw MMM signal so that the difficulties to select filter parameters, which is inevitably faced with traditional energy maximum and gradient maximum methods, are avoided. According with general feature of SSD, the two proposed methods would also be used to the signal singularity detection other than MMM, such as negative pressure wave, ultrasonic wave etc. Experimental results with real data demonstrate their effectiveness.

Fig. 4 Real data 2: defect exists near 34 m From Fig. 4, both of the energy maximum feature and the gradient feature respectively for the tangential and normal MMM signals are unobvious and it is difficult to make out if there is defect. With the signal segmented dissimilarity method, the dissimilarity series of the tangential and normal MMM signals are as shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 shows the corresponding cumulative probability curves.
0.5 0.45
Dissimilarity

normal tangential

0.4 0.35 0.3 0.25 0

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10 20 30 Position/m 40 50

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Fig. 5 Segmented dissimilarity curve

[2]
1 Cumulative probability 0.8 0.6 0.4

[3]

[4]

[5]
0.2 0 0
Normal Tangential

10

20 30 Position/m

40

50

[6]

Fig. 6 Dissimilarity cumulative probability curve From Fig. 6, the cumulative probability of the 16 segment is close to 1 and with the 3 criterion, we can judge that the defect occurs at about 32 m.
th

[7]

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