Non-contact signal propagation property evaluation of synthetic fiber rope

1. A non-contact evaluation system for evaluating a rope, the system comprising:

a transducer spaced apart from the rope, the transducer configured to

output an ultrasonic wave in a traverse direction towards a longitudinal location of the rope, such that at least a portion of the ultrasonic wave passes around a perimeter of the rope,

receive the portion of the ultrasonic wave,

convert the portion of the ultrasonic wave to a signal, and

output the signal; and

a processor configured to

receive the signal, and

evaluate the rope based on the signal.

2. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.

3. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer is an electromagnetic transducer.

4. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein the transducer is a laser-based transducer.

5. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the rope based on the signal includes determining a structural health measure of the rope.

6. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein evaluating the rope based on the signal includes evaluating at least one propagation property of the rope.

7. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , further comprising:

an air gap disposed between the transducer and the rope.

8. The non-contact evaluation system of claim 1 , wherein the rope is a synthetic rope.

9. A method of evaluating a rope, the method comprising:

providing a first electrical signal;

converting, via a transducer, at a location spaced apart from the rope, the first electrical signal into a wave;

directing the wave in a transverse direction towards a longitudinal location of the rope, the wave having characteristics such that at least of a portion of the wave passes around a perimeter of the rope;

receiving a portion of the wave;

converting the portion of the wave into a second electrical signal; and

evaluating, via a processor, the rope based on the second electrical signal.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of evaluating, via the processor, the rope based on the signal includes determining a structural health measure of the rope.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of evaluating, via the processor, the rope based on the signal includes evaluating at least one propagation property of the rope.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of receiving the portion of the wave is performed via a second transducer.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transducer is a piezoelectric transducer.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transducer is an electromagnetic transducer.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transducer is a laser-based transducer.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the rope is a synthetic rope.