Abstract: For the detection of defects in thick-walled pipe, The bulk shear wave (BSW) transducer was used to generate the circumferential Lamb wave to detect the typical defects. Different circumferential wave modes were excited by changing the arrangement direction, and the insensitivity problem to axial defects of cylindrical longitudinal guided waves was overcome. The detection efficiency was highly improved. By moving the bulk shear wave transducer along the pipe axial direction, the circumferential scanning examination can be realized. This demonstrates the good directivity for detection of the pipeline defects by bulk shear wave transducer. It provides a method for non-destructive testing of axial defects in pipelines.