A note on the sensitivity of SV wave scattering to surface-breaking cracks

The results presented in this communication show that the conventional configuration adopting a shear vertical wave at 45° of incidence to detect cracks breaking the surface opposite the one on which the inspecting transducer is placed is not optimal when the crack depth is of the order of one wavelength of the inspecting wave or smaller. Angles of incidence proximal to the critical angle of longitudinal wave should be used instead.