The paper deals with the features of modeling physical processes during the propagation of ultrasonic waves in metallic media. A mathematical model for the propagation of shear vertical (SV) ultrasonic waves generated by a single element of a 32-element electromagnetic acoustic phased array has been developed. The calculation of the acoustic field of the 32-element SV electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) phased array was made. The total displacements for models with defects and without them were calculated. A computer simulation of the process of reflection of the ultrasonic beam from a defect was made. The developed model allows one to study the influence of shape, size, location of defects in the plate as well as the plate geometric parameters on the formation of the reflected signal.