Thin multi-layered materials are widely used in key structures of many high technology industries. To ensure the quality and safety of structures, layer thickness measurement by non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques is essential. In this paper, a novel approach for the measurement of each layer’s thickness in thin multi-layered material is proposed by using ring-shaped laser generated focused ultrasonic bulk waves. The proposed method uses a ring-shaped laser with a variable radius to generate shear waves with variable focus inside the structure. By analyzing the signal characteristics at the ring center when the laser radius varies from zero to maximum, the direct measurement of layer thickness can be realized, considering that only when the focal depth and the layer thickness satisfy the specific relationship, the reflected shear waves converge and form a peak at the ring center. This straightforward approach can increase the pulse-echo SNR and prevent the processing of aliasing signals, and therefore provides higher efficiency and accuracy for the layer thickness measurement. In order to investigate the feasibility of this method, finite element simulations were conducted to simulate the ring-shaped laser generated ultrasonic waves in multi-layered structure in detail. Following the principle of the proposed method, the layer thickness of a bi-layer and 3-layer structure were respectively measured using simulation data. The results confirm that the proposed method can accurately and efficiently measure the layer thickness of thin multi-layered material.

Distributed fiber-optic photoacoustic non-destructive testing (DFP-NDT) represents a paradigm shift from passive sensing to active probing, fundamentally transforming structural health monitoring through integrated fiber-based ultrasonic generation and detection capabilities. This review systematically examines DFP-NDT’s evolution by following the technology’s natural progression from fundamental principles to practical implementations. Unlike conventional approaches that require external excitation mechanisms, DFP-NDT leverages photoacoustic transducers as integrated active components where fiber-optical devices themselves generate and detect ultrasonic waves. Central to this technology are photoacoustic materials engineered to maximize conversion efficiency—from carbon nanotube-polymer composites achieving 2.74 × 10⁻² conversion efficiency to innovative MXene-based systems that combine high photothermal conversion with structural protection functionality. These materials operate within sophisticated microstructural frameworks—including tilted fiber Bragg gratings, collapsed photonic crystal fibers, and functionalized polymer coatings—that enable precise control over optical-to-thermal-to-acoustic energy conversion. Six primary distributed fiber-optic photoacoustic transducer array (DFOPTA) methodologies have been developed to transform single-point transducers into multiplexed systems, with low-frequency variants significantly extending penetration capability while maintaining high spatial resolution. Recent advances in imaging algorithms have particular emphasis on techniques specifically adapted for distributed photoacoustic data, including innovative computational frameworks that overcome traditional algorithmic limitations through sophisticated statistical modeling. Documented applications demonstrate DFP-NDT’s exceptional versatility across structural monitoring scenarios, achieving impressive performance metrics including 90 × 54 cm² coverage areas, sub-millimeter resolution, and robust operation under complex multimodal interference conditions. Despite these advances, key challenges remain in scaling multiplexing density, expanding operational robustness for extreme environments, and developing algorithms specifically optimized for simultaneous multi-source excitation. This review establishes a clear roadmap for future development where enhanced multiplexed architectures, domain-specific material innovations, and purpose-built computational frameworks will transition DFP-NDT from promising laboratory demonstrations to deployable industrial solutions for comprehensive structural integrity assessment.

Reliable full-line monitoring of belt-conveyor idlers remains challenging because large numbers of idlers operate under spatially varying structural stiffness and strong industrial vibration. This study develops an ultra-weak fiber Bragg grating distributed acoustic sensing (UWFBG-DAS) method combined with characteristic energy feature analysis for long-distance idler monitoring. The method makes three main contributions. First, a simplified finite-element model identifies the middle crossbeam as an effective vibration-transmission path and guides the deployment of the sensing array. Second, envelope demodulation and variational mode decomposition (VMD) are employed to isolate the fault-sensitive IMF2 component, whose energy is temporally accumulated and evaluated using a zone-specific self-referencing threshold derived from normal-operation data. Third, the method is validated through field deployment and fault-type classification. Approximately 1.2 km of a sensing cable was deployed in a coal-fired power plant, and identifiable characteristic-energy increases were observed in 9 of 10 idler-replacement tests. For three representative fault types, stratified five-fold cross-validation of 300 samples achieved an overall classification accuracy of 90.3%, with a 95% Wilson confidence interval of 86.5–93.2%. These results demonstrate the feasibility of UWFBG-DAS combined with zone-specific characteristic energy analysis for long-distance idler monitoring under spatially heterogeneous industrial conditions.