Ultrasonic Thickness Inspection of Steel Structures Using Magnetic Climbing Robots: Design, Deployment, and Field Validation
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Authors
Walunj, Pratik Gulab
Issue Date
2025
Type
Thesis
Language
en_US
Keywords
Climbing Robot , Inspection , NDE Inspection , Robotics , Steel structure , Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge
Alternative Title
Abstract
Steel-structure inspection remains a critical yet challenging task due to complex geometries,height constraints, and the demand for accurate structural health data. This work presents
a novel, platform-agnostic climbing robotic system equipped with a specialized ultrasonic
thickness (UT) gauge deployment mechanism and a couplant dispensing system to facilitate
in situ thickness measurement and structural health assessment. In contrast to traversability-
centric studies, this work prioritizes the practical execution of condition assessment using
UT measurements. Although many climbing robots demonstrate strong mobility, UT
deployment has often been ad hoc, with limited evaluation of reliability across complex
orientations. A universal couplant pumping mechanism is developed to enable consistent
gel delivery regardless of robot pose and is complemented by a mechanically actuated
probe deployment system that ensures stable transducer-to-surface contact across a wide
range of structural conditions. This work establishes a framework for reliable, orientation-
agnostic UT deployment using purpose-built climbing robots. The deployment mechanism
was integrated and tested on a bicycle climbing robot platform. A tricycle platform
was developed and a detailed force analysis for the tricycle platform is also presented.
Rigorous field testing was conducted across five steel structures, involving deployment in
diverse orientations—including horizontal, vertical, inverted, and inclined—and on surfaces
exhibiting various conditions, such as coatings and rust. The system demonstrated robust
and repeatable UT data acquisition in all tested configurations.