Ultrasonic Testing: Mode Conversion

Interactive Exercises for UT Level I Trainees

What Is Mode Conversion?

When an ultrasonic wave hits an interface between two materials at an angle, something interesting happens: the wave doesn't just refract — it can also change its wave mode.

A longitudinal wave (compression wave) striking an interface can produce both a refracted longitudinal wave and a refracted shear wave (transverse wave) in the second material. This splitting is called mode conversion.

Key idea: Mode conversion happens because the boundary conditions at the interface require particle motion in both directions — parallel and perpendicular to the surface.

Guided Walkthrough

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