Guided wave focusing has been developed as a promising technique for defect detection in pipeworks, where non‐axisymmetric flexural modes are tuned so that ultrasonic energy can be focused at a target point in a pipe. If a defect is located at the target point, large amplitude reflected waves can be observed. In this study, the focusing phenomenon is analyzed using a semi‐analytical finite element method where a region of a pipe is divided in the thickness direction into the cylindrical subdivisions and is analytically treated in the circumferential and longitudinal directions. Visualization of the calculation results reveals that focusing occurs gradually in the vicinity of the target point. © 2003 American Institute of Physics