Infrared Thermography in Non-Destructive Evaluation
Summary
Infrared thermography is a versatile, non-contact method for assessing the health of materials and structures by mapping their surface temperature distributions. In passive mode it detects existing thermal signatures of operating components, whereas in active mode it applies a controlled thermal stimulus to reveal subsurface features. The technique is valued for its speed, full‐field coverage and minimal need for coupling media. It has found widespread industrial use in aerospace for detecting delaminations and disbonds in composites, in civil engineering for locating voids or moisture ingress in reinforced concrete, and in manufacturing for rapid quality control of welded joints or electronic assemblies. Recent advances have addressed the inherent limitations of heat diffusion, notably through signal modulation strategies, tomographic reconstruction and computational models that compensate for blurring. Integration with machine‐learning algorithms now supports automated defect classification and real‐time decision making. Together these developments have extended the depth range, spatial resolution and quantitative reliability of thermal imaging, reinforcing its global significance in safety‐critical sectors.
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Infrared Thermography in Non-Destructive Evaluation publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in infrared thermography in non-destructive evaluation across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Active thermography: A method in which an external heat source stimulates thermal waves in a specimen to reveal subsurface features.
Lock-in thermography: A technique using periodic thermal excitation and phase‐sensitive detection to enhance contrast and depth sensitivity.
Pulsed thermography: A mode where a short thermal pulse is applied and the transient surface response is recorded to locate defects.
Photothermal tomography: The reconstruction of three‐dimensional thermal properties by analysing modulated or pulsed photothermal signals.
Phase imaging: Extraction of phase information from time-varying thermal signals to improve defect detection and depth estimation.
References
- Frequency multiplexed photothermal correlation tomography for non-destructive evaluation of manufactured materials. International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (2025).
- Infrared Thermography for Temperature Measurement and Non-Destructive Testing. Sensors (2014).
- Review of Active IR Thermography for Detection and Characterization of Defects in Reinforced Concrete. Journal of Imaging (2016).
- Development and Application of Infrared Thermography Non-Destructive Testing Techniques. Sensors (2020).
- Infrared Thermal Imaging-Based Crack Detection Using Deep Learning. IEEE Access (2019).
- Three-dimensional thermographic imaging using a virtual wave concept. Journal of Applied Physics (2017).
- Induction Thermography for Surface Crack Detection and Depth Determination. Applied Sciences (2018).
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