Incipient Near Surface Cracks Characterization and Crack Size Estimation based on Jensen–Shannon Divergence and Wasserstein Distance

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel approach for characterizing and estimating the size of incipient cracks, employing Jensen–Shannon divergence and Wasserstein distance for precise measurement. A novel signal correction method is proposed and coupled with Finite Element Modeling can extend the experimental data. The method is verified to accurately quantify incipient cracks with areas as small as 0.02 mm\(^2\), with a maximum relative error of 3.5% in surface estimation, and accurately discern variations in crack sizes. This allows for more accurate predictions of crack dimensions crucial for structural health monitoring.