Ultrasonic array modelling is widely used to understand the performance of new transducer materials or geometries in a range of application scenarios. However, array modelling from first principles is both time-consuming and challenging due to the required knowledge of accurate acoustic and piezoelectric properties. This paper presents an alternative approach in which two elements are manufactured and characterised in the desired application scenario through a set of experimentally measured parameters. This experimental information is then used to construct a frequency domain model of an array of these elements. In this approach, the more challenging transducer modelling aspects are replaced by an experiment, and wave propagation modelling is used to simulate how those elements would perform in an array assembly. In order to characterise the elements and the application scenario the input pulse, attenuation coefficient, and both coherent and random noise amplitudes are measured. These experimental parameters are then used in a model to simulate the expected array image, from which the array performance, such as the signal-to-noise ratio, coherent noise scattering level, random noise level, and imaging artefacts, in the given application can be quantified. The approach is demonstrated with two commercial ultrasonic arrays and three test structure materials with differing levels of coherent grain scattered noise. Results across these various conditions show agreement within 4.2 dB between the simulations and their experimental counterparts in terms of image signal-to-noise ratio. Simulations with defects are also conducted and compared with experimental data for different array element geometries.

超声波阵列建模被广泛用于了解新换能器材料或几何形状在一系列应用场景中的性能。然而，由于需要准确的声学和压电特性的知识，从第一原理进行阵列建模既耗时又具有挑战性。本文提出了一种替代方法，其中通过一组实验测量的参数在所需的应用场景中制造和表征两个元件。然后使用该实验信息来构建这些元素阵列的频域模型。在这种方法中，更具挑战性的换能器建模方面被实验所取代，波传播建模用于模拟这些元件在阵列组件中的表现。为了表征元件和应用场景，测量输入脉冲、衰减系数以及相干和随机噪声幅度。然后在模型中使用这些实验参数来模拟预期的阵列图像，从中可以得出给定应用中的阵列性能，例如信噪比、相干噪声散射水平、随机噪声水平和成像伪影。被量化。该方法用两个商业超声波阵列和三个具有不同水平相干颗粒散射噪声的测试结构材料进行了演示。在这些不同条件下的结果表明，在图像信噪比方面，模拟与其实验对应物之间的一致性在 4.2 dB 以内。