Guided waves are very attractive for the rapid inspection of large structures. However, until recently the number of practical applications has been limited. This is largely due to the presence of many possible wave modes, most of which are dispersive, which can lead to high levels of coherent noise. Techniques to manage this complexity are discussed and practical applications to pipes, railroad rail, plates and rock bolts are described. Areas for future research are then suggested. © 2003 American Institute of Physics