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Research

We specialize in cutting-edge innovations in non-destructive testing (NDT) and ultrasonic technologies. From the development of advanced ultrasonic transducers and air-coupled ultrasonics to long-range guided waves and X-ray computed tomography, our expertise drives safer and more efficient inspection solutions. We are pioneers in guided waves, phased arrays, imaging, simulations, and ultrasonic signal processing, delivering tailored solutions to meet the evolving challenges of industries worldwide.

Research topics

Ultrasonic transducers

  • High temperature and high pressure transducers;
  • Air-coupled ultrasonic transducers;
  • Piezo-composite;
  • Multielement;
  • For applications in biology;
  • SAFT and backscatter tomography transducers;
  • Arrays.

Air coupled ultrasonics

Long range ultrasonics

X-ray computed tomography

We perform non-destructive testing, investigations and research using high-resolution X-ray computed tomography system RayScan 250E (resolution up to 3µm).

Guided waves

Phased arrays and imaging

Simulations

Ultrasonic measurements and non-destructive testing

Ultrasonic signal processing

Applications in medicine and biology

Scientific achievements and impact

Ultrasound research in Kaunas University of Technology has been conducted for more than 60 years. The majority of the R&D activity in the KTU Ultrasound Research Institute (KTU UI) is being organised through long-term projects, where all activity is planned in a very detailed way for the whole duration of the Project. The plan includes involvement of the research personnel, development of ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods, funding of a particular activity, dissemination of the outcomes.

The Institute is proud of its achievements:

  • Over 60 years in the field of ultrasonic measurements and non-destructive testing;
  • Over 100 techniques and instruments developed for various industrial and scientific applications;
  • Over 150 patents;
  • Over 1000 publications in internationally recognised scientific journals;
  • Active involvement in master‘s and PhD studies.

Our Competences

  • Ultrasonic transducers for operation under extreme conditions (high temperatures, strong radioactive radiation, high pressure and chemical activity)
  • Development of custom ultrasonic measurement and non-destructive testing methods
  • Ultrasonic distance and displacement measurement methods
  • Ultrasonic transducers for specific applications
  • Ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods for objects possessing complex geometry
  • Guided wave signal processing and structural health monitoring methods
  • Automatic classification and defect detection methods

Technological solutions

  • Technology for manufacturing of high-temperature ultrasonic transducers;
  • Developed low cost in-line polymer inspection system to improve the use of recycled materials in plastics processing industry;
  • Technology for manufacturing of high efficiency PMN-PT air coupled ultrasonic arrays for excitation of guided waves;
  • Ultrasonic sensor-system for in-line density gradient determination of ceramic tiles;
  • Automated spot weld inspection device for safe vehicle repair;
  • Ultrasonic system for precise gas flow measurements;
  • Ultrasonic non-destructive testing methods for customized applications.

Significant publications

Ultrasonic measurements in extreme conditions:
Dierckx, Marc; Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Voleišis, Algirdas. Procede et systeme de detection dans des environnements a haute temperature / Inventors: Dierckx Marc, Kazys Rymantas, Voleisis Algirdas; Titulaires: SCK-CEN, Kaunas University of Technology. FR 2980268 B1. 2018-05-04. 39=p.
Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Rekuvienė, Regina; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Mažeika, Liudas. Ultrasonic technique for density measurement of liquids in extreme conditions // Sensors. Basel : MDPI AG. ISSN 1424-8220. 2015, vol. 15, iss. 8, p. 19393-19415. DOI: 10.3390/s150819393.
Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Mažeika, Liudas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Raišutis, Renaldas. Measurement of viscosity of highly viscous non-Newtonian fluids by means of ultrasonic guided waves // Ultrasonics. Amsterdam : Elsevier Science. ISSN 0041-624X. 2014, Vol. 54, iss. 4, p. 1104-1112. DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.ultras.2014.01.007.
Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Raišutis, Renaldas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Vladišauskas, Alfonsas; Mažeika, Liudas. Waveguide sensor for measurement of viscosity of highly viscous fluids // Applied physics letters. Melville : AIP Publishing. ISSN 0003-6951. eISSN 1077-3118. 2013, vol. 103, iss. 20, article 204102, p. 1-4. DOI: 10.1063/1.4829639.
Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Voleišis, Algirdas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Mažeika, Liudas; Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi; Kupshus, Peter; Abderrahim, Hamid Ait. High temperature ultrasonic transducers for imaging and measurements in a liquid Pb/Bi eutectic alloy // IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics Ferroelectrics and Frequency Control. New York : IEEE Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control Society. ISSN 0885-3010. 2005, Vol. 52, no. 4, p. 525-537.
Ultrasonic non-destructive testing and measurements:
Fyleris, Tautvydas; Jasiūnienė, Elena. Comparative analysis of plane-wave imaging and the total focusing method in the reconstruction of complex geometrical surfaces // Surface topography: metrology and properties. Bristol : IOP Publishing. ISSN 2051-672X. eISSN 2051-672X. 2019, vol. 7, iss. 3, art. no. 035011, p.[1-9]. DOI: 10.1088/2051-672X/ab383d.
Jasiūnienė, Elena; Mažeika, Liudas; Samaitis, Vykintas; Cicėnas, Vaidotas; Mattsson, David. Ultrasonic non-destructive testing of complex titanium/carbon fibre composite joints // Ultrasonics. Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISSN 0041-624X. eISSN 1874-9968. 2019, vol. 95, p. 13-21. DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2019.02.009.
Jasiūnienė, Elena; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Dragatogiannis, D.A.; Koumoulos, E.P.; Charitidis, C.A.. Investigation of dissimilar metal joints with nanoparticle fillers // NDT & E international. Oxford : Elsevier. ISSN 0963-8695. eISSN 1879-1174. 2017, Vol. 92, p. 122-129. DOI: 10.1016/j.ndteint.2017.08.005.
Air coupled ultrasonics:
Kažys, Rymantas; Vilpišauskas, Almantas. Air-coupled reception of a slow ultrasonic A0 mode wave propagating in thin plastic film // Sensors. Basel : MDPI AG. eISSN 1424-8220. 2020, vol. 20, iss. 2, art. no. 516, p. [1-20]. DOI: 10.3390/s20020516.
Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Šeštokė, Justina. Air-coupled low frequency ultrasonic transducers and arrays with PMN-32%PT piezoelectric crystals // Sensors. Basel : MDPI AG. ISSN 1424-8220. 2017, vol. 17, iss. 1, article 95, p. 1-20. DOI: 10.3390/s17010095.
Raišutis, Renaldas; Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Mažeika, Liudas. Ultrasonic air-coupled testing of square-shape CFRP composite rods by means of guided waves // NDT & E international. Oxford : Elsevier. ISSN 0963-8695. 2011, Vol. 44, iss. 7, p. 645-654. DOI: 10.1016/j.ndteint.2011.07.001.
Ultrasonic guided waves:
Kažys, Rymantas; Šliteris, Reimondas; Mažeika, Liudas; Tumšys, Olgirdas; Žukauskas, Egidijus. Attenuation of a slow subsonic A0 mode ultrasonic guided wave in thin plastic films // Materials. Basel : MDPI AG. ISSN 1996-1944. eISSN 1996-1944. 2019, vol. 12, iss. 10, art. no. 1648, p. 1-15. DOI: 10.3390/ma12101648.
Tiwari, Kumar Anubhav; Raišutis, Renaldas. Identification and characterization of defects in glass fiber reinforced plastic by refining the guided Lamb waves // Materials. Basel : MDPI AG. ISSN 1996-1944. 2018, vol. 11, iss. 7, art. no. 1173, p. 1-23. DOI: 10.3390/ma11071173.
Draudvilienė, Lina; Meškuotienė, Asta; Raišutis, Renaldas; Ait-Aider, Hacene. The capability assessment of the spectrum decomposition technique for measurements of the group velocity of lamb waves // Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation. New York, NY : Springer. ISSN 0195-9298. eISSN 1573-4862. 2018, Vol. 37, iss. 2, art. 29, p. 1-13. DOI: 10.1007/s10921-018-0484-2.
Draudvilienė, Lina; Ait Aider, H.; Tumšys, Olgirdas; Mažeika, Liudas. The Lamb waves phase velocity dispersion evaluation using an hybrid measurement technique // Composite Structures. Amsterdam: Elsevier. ISSN 0263-8223. e ISSN 1879-1085. 2018, vol. 184, p. 1156-1164. DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2017.10.060.
Raišutis, Renaldas; Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Mažeika, Liudas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Samaitis, Vykintas; Jankauskas, Audrius. Ultrasonic guided wave-based testing technique for inspection of multi-wire rope structures // NDT & E international. Oxford : Elsevier. ISSN 0963-8695. eISSN 1879-1174. 2014, Vol. 62, p. 40-49. DOI: 10.1016/j.ndteint.2013.11.005.
Raišutis, Renaldas; Kažys, Rymantas Jonas; Žukauskas, Egidijus; Mažeika, Liudas; Vladišauskas, Alfonsas. Application of ultrasonic guided waves for non-destructive testing of defective CFRP rods with multiple delaminations // NDT & E international. Oxford : Elsevier. ISSN 0963-8695. 2010, Vol. 43, iss. 5, p. 416-424. DOI: 10.1016/j.ndteint.2010.04.001.
Applications in medicine and biology:
Šarkinas, Antanas; Sakalauskienė, Kristina; Raišutis, Renaldas; Zeime, Jūratė; Salaševičiene, Alvija; Puidaitė, Egidija; Mockus, Ernestas; Černauskas, Darius. Inactivation of some pathogenic bacteria and phytoviruses by ultrasonic treatment // Microbial pathogenesis. Amsterdam : Elsevier. ISSN 0882-4010. eISSN 1096-1208. 2018, vol. 123, p. 144-148. DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2018.07.004.
Voleišis, Algirdas; Kažys, Rymantas; Voleišienė, Birutė; Šliteris, Reimondas; Mažeika, Liudas. Ultrasonic method for monitoring the clotting process during whole blood coagulation // Ultrasonics. Amsterdam : Elsevier Science. ISSN 0041-624X. 2017, Vol. 78, p. 146-151. DOI: DOI:10.1016/j.ultras.2017.02.017.
Jasaitienė, Daiva; Valiukevičienė, Skaidra; Linkevičiūtė, Gintarė; Raišutis, Renaldas; Jasiūnienė, Elena; Kažys, Rymantas Jonas. Principles of high-frequency ultrasonography for investigation of skin pathology // Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology. Malden MA : Wiley-Blackwell. ISSN 0926-9959. 2011, vol. 25, iss. 4, p. 375-382. DOI: 10.1111/j.1468-3083.2010.03837.x.
X-ray computed tomography:
Česaitienė, Gabrielė; Venskutonis, Tadas; Mačiulskienė, Vita; Cicėnas, Vaidotas; Samaitis, Vykintas; Jasiūnienė, Elena. Micro-computed tomography (Micro-CT) evaluation of effects of different rotary glide path techniques on canal transportation and centering in curved root canals // Medical science monitor. Melville, NY : Medical science international publishing. ISSN 1643-3750. 2019, vol. 25, p. 6351-6358. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.916112.
Jasiūnienė, Elena; Cicėnas, Vaidotas; Grigaliūnas, Paulius; Rudžionis, Žymantas; Navickas, Arūnas Aleksandras. Influence of the rheological properties on the steel fibre distribution and orientation in selfcompacting concrete // Materials and structures. Dordrecht : Springer. ISSN 1359-5997. eISSN 1871-6873. 2018, vol. 51, iss. 4, art. no. 103, p. 1261-1281. DOI: 10.1617/s11527-018-1231-y.

Research infrastructure

Hardware

Dual source XRAY micro computed tomograph RayScan 250E (RayScan Technologies GmbH, Germany).

10-230kV microfocus (focal point 3-250 µm) and 50-450kV minifocus tube (focal point 0,4mm).

Precise 6-axis and 11-axis cartesian and polar scanners (TecScan systems Inc., Canada).

x, y, z, swivel, gimbal axes, turntable, with water tanks (2.0m × 1.5m × 1m and 2.5m × 1.5m × 1.5m) for air-coupled and immersion applications.

High speed scanning acoustic microscope with special set of transducers for high frequency applications (KSI GmbH, Germany).

Up to 500MHz with scan field of 400mm × 400mm.

Special set of high frequency transducers for acoustic microscopy applications.

Up to 250MHz, flat-faced and focused.

Immersion NTR acoustic intensity measurement system (AIMS) for measuring and mapping of acoustic fields in liquids (ONDA, USA).

For medical imaging, pulsed and CW Doppler, therapeutic devices and industrial ultrasound between 0.25 and 60 MHz.

Multi-channel ultrasonic phased array system Dynaray 64/256 (Zetec, Canada).

Bandwidth from 0.20 up to 25 MHz, at -6 dB.

Multi-channel low frequency (32:128 channels) and medium frequency (128 channels) ultrasonic phased array systems Sitau (DaselSistemas, Spain).

Bandwidth from 30kHz to 16MHz at -3 dB, up to 128 parallel channels.

Impedance analyzer Wayne Kerr 6500 B (Wayne Kerr Electronics, UK).

Operating frequency from 40 Hz up to 120 MHz.

Stereo microscope with digital camera Olympus MVX10 (Olympus Corporation, Japan).

Zoom range 7x-115x, maximum zoom 230x.

Heating and freezing microscope stage with system controller for material properties characterisation (Linkam Scientific Instruments, UK).

Precise 4-axis angular scanner for immersion and air-coupled applications (axial resolution of 1mm) (ADEPT, USA).

Precise 3 axis Cartesian scanner with water tank for air-coupled and immersion applications (KTU UI, Lithuania).

x-y step 10 μm, z step 1 μm, water tank water tank 1.25m × 0.75m × 0.35m.

Digital arbitrary waveform generators (up to 100 MHz) and digital oscilloscopes (up to 600 MHz) (Agilent technologies, USA).

Special set of ultrasonic transducers for NDT, material characterization and biomedicine (KTU UI, Lithuania, Olympus Japan).

Operating frequencies from 0.03MHz up to 25 MHz.

Calibrated hydrophones (ONDA) and microphones (Brüel & Kjær);

Out of plane laser vibrometer Polytec (Polytec, Germany).

Fullfield 3D laser scanning vibrometer Polytec PSV- 500-3D. Frequency range 0 Hz – 25 MHz, 30pps, resolution 0,01 … 48 μm/s*√Hz-1

2D laser vibrometer Polytec PSV-500. Frequency range 0 Hz – 25 MHz; resolution 0,01 … 18 μm/s*√Hz-1

Ultra high frequency (up to 2.4GHz) out of plane laser vibrometer Polytec UHF-120. Displacement measurement resolution 1,5 pm at 2.5 kHz. Maximum object size 200 mm x 200 mm.

Laser ultrasonic inspection system Intopsys LUKS-1550-TWM. Pulse width 10ns, frequency bandwidth 25 kHz – 125 MHz.

Ultrasonic guided wave inspection system Teletest Focus +. 24 transmission and 24 reception channels, including set of transducer rings.

High resolution flaw detector with PAUT, UT, TOFD and real time TFM Eddyfi M2M Gekko. 64 simultaneous channels, bandwidth 0,6 MHz – 25 MHz.

Videoscope Olympus IPLEX GX/GT IV9620G with bright illumination, noise reduction and 60fps recording.

Handheld X-ray fluorescence alloy analyser Olympus VANTA XRF. Can detect chemical elements as: Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, W, Hf, Ta, Re, Pb, Bi, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd,Sn, Sb.

Multimode bond tester Olympus B600M. Frequency range 1-50 kHz (impulse mode), 1-100kHz (RF mode). Resonance, pitch-catch and impedance modes.

Acoustic microscope Kibero easySAM Professional for detection of variations in local mechanical properties of living cells or tissue. Bandwidth 50-450 MHz, 14bit ADC with 2GHz sampling. Scanning area 10mm, includes photoacoustic excitation.

Ultrasonic thickness gauge Olympus 38 DLPlus. Frequency range 2 MHz – 30 MHz. Thickness measurement range: 0.080 mm – 635.00 mm.

Coating thickness gauge Qnix 4500. Resolution 1 μm for thicknesses up to 999 μm and 10 μm above 1000 μm.

Partial discharge detector Doble DFA300. Acoustic bandwidth: 10 kHz…500 kHz, radio frequency bandwidth: 50…1000 MHz.

High resolution thermal camera Flir T1020. IR resolution 1024 × 768; up to 3.1 MP. Thermal sensitivity <20 mK @ 30°C.

Acoustic cavitation meter Onda MCT-0320 HCT-2000. Frequency range: 20kHz – 1.2 MHz. Measured parameters: fundamental Frequency (MHz), Driving Field Pressure (kPa), Stable Cavitation (kPa), Transient Cavitation (kPa).

Ultrasonic generators for high power ultrasonics MPI AMMM3000. Power up to 3000W, frequency range: 20 kHz … 100 kHz.

Active thermography NDT system Automation Technologies IrNDT. IR resolution 640 x 480, thermal sensitivity 30mK. Lock-in, pulse and thermoelastic stress analysis modes. Heat source power up to 2000W, 28000lm, 3200K.

DJI drone DJI M300 with Zenmuse XT2 thermal sensor. Flight time 55 min, flight distance up to 7 km, maximum wind speed 15 m/s. IR resolution 640 x 512, thermal sensitivity 50 mK.

Software

Civa software for numerical simulation of the ultrasonic non-destructive testing and guided waves (Extende, France).

Software Ultravision for data acquisition, processing and imaging (Zetec, Canada)

VGStudio MAX for the visualization and analysis of industrial computed tomography data (Volume Graphics GmbH, Germany)

Avizo Inspect for reconstruction and analysis of computed tomography images (FEI, France).

TecView UT data acquisition and analysis software for TecScan scanners (TecScan, Canada).

Software control for scanning acoustic microscope KSI Vision (KSI GmbH, Germany).

Software for simulation of ultrasonic fields and measurement processes (KTU UI, Lithuania).

Stand-alone computer software program for computational ultrasonics Wave 3000 Plus (CyberLogic, USA).

KTU OPEN ACCESS CENTER

Using technological solutions created by our scientists and researchers we help our clients solve technological problems. Partnership with business encompasses all stages of cooperation: from simple orders and first tests to joint R&D projects and other services.
Reserve equipment or order a service through KTU Open Access Centre.

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Prof. K. Baršauskas Ultrasound Research Institute

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