Application of built-in microphone of smartphone for inspecting unbonded length of fully grouted rock bolt

This study aimed to inspect the unbonded length of a rock bolt using the built-in microphone of a smartphone. An experimental study was conducted using rock bolts of different unbonded lengths. Sound waves were produced by impacting the head of the rock bolt, and the reverberation of the sound waves in the unbonded section was recorded. To compensate for the phase difference between the two signals, the stereo audio signals were extracted from the video and cross-correlation was conducted. The frequency spectrum of the cross-correlated signal shows a clear peak compared to that of original signal. Additionally, the predominant frequency decreased with increasing unbonded length. Time-frequency analysis was accomplished using a wavelet transform. Wavelet transform identified that the predominant frequency was the resonant effect of the reverberant sound waves. This study suggests that the predominant frequency of the reverberant sound waves in the unbonded section is an effective indicator for evaluating the unbonded length of the rock bolt.