Modeling and prediction of density distribution and microstructure in particleboards from acoustic properties by correlation of non-contact high-resolution pulsed air-coupled ultrasound and X-ray images.

Non-destructive density and microstructure quality control testing in particleboards (PBs) is necessary in production lines. A pulsed air-coupled ultrasound (ACU) high-resolution normal transmission system, together with a first wave tracking algorithm, were developed to image amplitude transmission G(p) and velocity c(p) distributions at 120kHz for PBs of specific nominal densities and five particle geometries, which were then correlated to X-ray in-plane density images ρ(s). Test PBs with a homogeneous vertical density profile were manufactured in a laboratory environment and conditioned in a standard climate (T=20°C, RH=65%) before the measurements.