Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a means of identifying damage from the structural response to environmental loads. Real-time SHM offers rapid assessment of structural safety by owners and civil defense authorities enabling more optimal response to major events. This research presents an real-time, convex, integral-based SHM methods for seismic events that use only acceleration measurements and infrequently measured displacements, and a non-linear baseline model including hysteretic dynamics and permanent deformation. The method thus identifies time-varying pre-yield and post-yield stiffness, elastic and plastic components of displacement and final residual displacement. For a linear baseline model it identifies only timevarying stiffness. Thus, the algorithm identifies all key measures of structural damage affecting the immediate safety or use of the structure, and the long-term cost of repair and retrofit. The algorithm is tested with simulated and measured El Centro earthquake response data from a four storey non-linear steel frame structure and simulated data from a two storey non-linear hybrid rocking structure. The steel frame and rocking structures exhibit contrasting dynamic response and are thus used to highlight the impact of baseline model selection in SHM. In simulation, the algorithm identifies stiffness to within 3.5% with 90% confidence, and permanent displacement to within 7.5% with 90% confidence. Using measured data for the frame structure, the algorithm identifies final residual deformation to within 1.5% and identifies realistic stiffness values in comparison to values predicted from pushover analysis. For the rocking structure, the algorithm accurately identifies the different regimes of motion and linear stiffness comparable to estimates from previous research. Overall, the method is seen to be accurate, effective and realtime capable, with the non-linear baseline model more accurately identifying damage in both of the disparate structures examined.

Composite materials are supplanting conventional metals in aerospace, automotive, civil and marine industries in recent times. This is mainly due to their high strength and light weight characteristics. But with all the advantages they have, they are prone to delamination or matrix cracking. These types of damage are often invisible and if undetected, could lead to appalling failures of structures. Although there are systems to detect such damage, the criticality assessment and prognosis of the damage is often more difficult to achieve. The research study conducted here primarily deals with the structural health monitoring of composite materials by analysing vibration signatures acquired from a laser vibrometer. The primary aim of the project is to develop a vibration based structural health monitoring (SHM) method for detecting flaws such as delamination within the composite beams. Secondly, the project emphasises on the method's ability to recognise the locatio n and severity of the damage within the structure. The system proposed relies on the examination of the displacement mode shapes acquired from the composite beams using the laser vibrometer and later processing them to curvature mode shapes for damage identification and characterization. Other identification techniques such as a C-scan has been applied to validate the location and size of the defects with the structures tested. The output from these plots enabled the successful identification of both the location and extent of damage within the structure with an accuracy of 96.5%. In addition to this, this project also introduces a method to experimentally compute the critical stress intensity factor, KIC for the composite beam. Based on this, a technique for extending the defect has been proposed and validated using concepts of fatigue and fracture mechanics. A composite specimen with a 40 mm wide delamination embedded within was loaded under fatigue conditions and extension of the defect by 4mm on either s ide of the specimen's loading axis was achieved satisfactorily. The experimental procedure to extend the defect using fatigue was validated using the SLV system. Displacement and Curvature mode shapes were acquired post-fatigue crack extension. Upon analysing and comparing the displacement and curvature mode shapes before and after crack extension, the extended delamination was identified satisfactorily.

Composite materials are supplanting conventional metals in aerospace, automotive, civil and marine industries in recent times. This is mainly due to their high strength and light weight characteristics. But with all the advantages they have, they are prone to delamination or matrix cracking. These types of damage are often invisible and if undetected, could lead to appalling failures of structures. Although there are systems to detect such damage, the criticality assessment and prognosis of the damage is often more difficult to achieve. The research study conducted here primarily deals with the structural health monitoring of composite materials by analysing vibration signatures acquired from a laser vibrometer. The primary aim of the project is to develop a vibration based structural health monitoring (SHM) method for detecting flaws such as delamination within the composite beams. Secondly, the project emphasises on the method's ability to recognise the locatio n and severity of the damage within the structure. The system proposed relies on the examination of the displacement mode shapes acquired from the composite beams using the laser vibrometer and later processing them to curvature mode shapes for damage identification and characterization. Other identification techniques such as a C-scan has been applied to validate the location and size of the defects with the structures tested. The output from these plots enabled the successful identification of both the location and extent of damage within the structure with an accuracy of 96.5%. In addition to this, this project also introduces a method to experimentally compute the critical stress intensity factor, KIC for the composite beam. Based on this, a technique for extending the defect has been proposed and validated using concepts of fatigue and fracture mechanics. A composite specimen with a 40 mm wide delamination embedded within was loaded under fatigue conditions and extension of the defect by 4mm on either s ide of the specimen's loading axis was achieved satisfactorily. The experimental procedure to extend the defect using fatigue was validated using the SLV system. Displacement and Curvature mode shapes were acquired post-fatigue crack extension. Upon analysing and comparing the displacement and curvature mode shapes before and after crack extension, the extended delamination was identified satisfactorily.

In recent years, the use of composite structures in engineering application has increased. This is mainly due to their special advantages such as high structural performance, high corrosion resistance, tolerance of temperature; extreme fatigue resistance and high strength/weight ratio. However, some disorders like fibre breakage, matrix cracking and delaminations could be caused by operational loading, aging, chemical attack, mechanical vibration, changing of ambient conditions and shock etc. during the service. Although these disorders are hardly visible, they can severely reduce the mechanical properties and the load carrying capability of the composite structure. The aim of this research project is to develop a Vibration-based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) method for carbon/epoxy composite beam specimens with the embedded artificial delaminations. The Laser Vibrometer Machine was used to excite the beams and gather the responses of the structure to the excitations. The physical properties such as frequency, velocity, mode shapes, and damping of the defective beams were measured. By using a C-SCAN machine, the accuracy of the positions of the delaminations was verified to be about 95% is accurate. Curvature mode shapes as a scalable damage detection parameter is calculated using an analytical model based on the Heaviside step function and the Central Difference Approximation (CDA) technique. The vibration-based damage detection method is then obtained using the difference between curvature mode shapes of the intact and damaged carbon/epoxy beams. An accurate prediction of 90% was attained. These results are proposed and discussed in detail in this study. Finally, the Fatigue Crack Propagation Test was applied on Samples with embedded delamination to extend the crack. The ASTM E399-90 standard is used for the experiment and a careful fatigue crack growth routine was designed and implemented to advance the delamination in a controlled manner. The total extension of 17 mm was observed with Microscope. The total propagation as determined by the curvature mode plots was 17.84 mm.

Thesis (M. Sc.)--University of Alberta, 2009. / Title from pdf file main screen (viewed on Aug. 14, 2009). "A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Alberta." Includes bibliographical references.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-02T11:16:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-12-09Bitstream added on 2014-12-02T11:20:57Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000795889.pdf: 2649056 bytes, checksum: 4492988ba817b08a9f8721edf0f1a6d1 (MD5) / Este trabalho apresenta o estudo da propagação de ondas em estruturas unidimensionais, como barras e vigas, bem como a metodologia utilizada para a análise de resposta das ondas quando submetidas a descontinuidades estruturais. A motivação deste projeto é o Monitoramento da Integridade Estrutural, SHM, técnica utilizada em engenharia para detectar a presença de falhas em estruturas mecânicas em vários tipos de indústrias como: civis, automobilísticas, aeronáuticas, evitando, assim, problemas futuros e gastos monetários. Existem diversas técnicas para a aplicação de SHM, uma delas utiliza a propagação de ondas. A utilização de ondas é uma ferramenta bastante procurada por empresas atualmente por ser uma técnica não destrutiva e por caracterizar descontinuidades geométricas. Ondas elásticas dispersam sua energia quando encontram uma descontinuidade, portanto, é possível observar o que acontece nesta divisão através dos coeficientes de reflexão e transmissão. Neste contexto, estes coeficientes são modelados e estudados em duas situações: com ondas longitudinais guiadas por barras e com ondas de flexão guiadas por vigas. Neste trabalho, são modelados diferentes tipos de falhas com arranjos de elementos básicos da mecânica: massa, mola e amortecedor. Os dois tipos de ondas submetidas a esses elementos possuem características específicas observadas inclusive no modelamento matemático. Adicionalmente, elaboram-se estruturas com descontinuidade geométrica para aplicação e correlação dos modelos previamente desenvolvidos visando uma relação de frequências de excitação necessárias para qualificação de diferentes formas de descontinuidades localizada para estrutura de material definido / This work presents a study on wave propagation in one-dimensional structures, such as rods and beams, and analyses the effects of structural discontinuities on wave motion. The motivation of this project is the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), technique used in engineering to detect the presence of damage in mechanical structures in several types of industries like: civil, automobile, aeronautical, thus, avoiding future problems and financial costs. There are several techniques for SHM application, and some of them use wave propagation. The use of waves is a tool sought by companies as a non-destructive technique and for being able to characterise geometric discontinuities. Elastic waves scatter their energy when they reach a discontinuity, and this is characterised by the reflection and transmission coefficients of the discontinuity. In this context, these coefficients are studied for two situations: with longitudinal waves guided by rods and with bending waves guided by beams. In this work, two different types of damage are modelled through basic mechanical elements such as mass, spring and damper. Additionally, structures with geometric discontinuity are investigated and compared with the models previously developed in order to gain physical insight into their dynamic behaviour

La demande croissante d’électricité, notamment renouvelable, entraîne une croissance de l’éolien avec l’utilisation de pales en composite de plus en plus grandes. Pour réduire le cout de maintenance de ces structures composites, le suivi de santé structurel (SHM) au cours du temps permet d’évaluer le comportement de la structure, d’anticiper les dégradations et la maintenance. Dans ce cadre, le développement de capteurs, à base de résine époxy et de nanotubes de carbone, appelés Quantum Resistive Sensor (QRS), est présenté. Les QRS peuvent être attachés à la surface de la structure ou intégrés à cœur durant la séquence de drapage. Durant la polymérisation de la résine, le comportement électrique du QRS traduit l’évolution de la réticulation et de la température dans la structure. Suite au processus de fabrication, l’influence des paramètres extérieurs (température, humidité, vitesse de déformation, coefficient de Poisson…) sur les caractéristiques des QRS a été étudiée. Durant l’utilisation de la structure composite, les QRS ont également permis la détection et la propagation d’endommagements jusqu’à la fracture ultime. Les QRS représentent donc une solution potentielle comme capteurs SHM non intrusifs, permettant un suivi de la structure, de sa fabrication jusqu’à sa dégradation finale. / The growing demands for electrical energy, especially renewable, is boosting the development of wind turbines equipped with longer composite blades. To reduce the maintenance cost of such huge composite parts, the structural health monitoring (SHM) is an approach to anticipate and/or follow the structural behaviour along time. To do so, a proper instrumentation is necessary and has to be as less intrusive as possible. To this end, the development of carbon nanotube- epoxy Quantum Resistive Sensor (QRS) is presented. QRS can be as well glued on the surface or embedded in the core of the composite structure during the stacking sequence. During manufacturing, both the temperature and resin crosslinking can be detected with the change in the QRS electrical characteristics. Once the structural part is made, the effect of the external parameters (strain rate, temperature, humidity, Poisson ratio…) on the electrical characteristics of QRS has been studied. During the composite life, the QRS electrical behaviour has also demonstrate its capability to detect the initiation and propagation of damage until final failure. A non-intrusive monitoring with QRS of the structure life cycle, from manufacturing until final breakage is therefore possible.

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) is a process of implementing a damage identification procedure for mechanical, aerospace and civil engineering infrastructure. Any change in the geometric properties, boundary conditions and behavior of material is defined as damage of these systems. In the past 10 years, there has been an accelerated increase in the amount of research related to SHM [1]. Hence, the increased interest in SHM to a wide range of industries and its correlated capability for significant life-safety and economic benefits has motivated the need for this thesis topic. The objective of this thesis study was to explore SHM approach to monitor and detect a change and/or damage in plates using Lamb wave propagation and surface response to excitation. First, the endurance of sensors and the adhesive used was evaluated. Next, the experimental data from the prepared samples was collected, compared, and evaluated. The obtained results indicated the severity and location of the defects.

Composite materials are in use in several applications, for example, aircraft structural components, because of their light weight and high strength. However the delamination which is one of the serious defects often develops and propagates due to vibration during the service of the structure. The presence of this defect warrants the design life of the structure and the safety. Hence the presence of such defect has to be detected in time to plan the remedial action well in advance. There are a number of methods in the literature for damage detection. They are either 'baseline free/reference free method' or using the data from the healthy structure for damage detection. However very limited vibration-based methods are available in the literature for delamination detection in composite structures. Many of these methods are just simulated studies without experimental validation. Grossly 2 kinds of the approaches have been suggested in the literature, one related to low frequency methods and other high frequency methods. In low frequency approaches, the change in the modal parameters, curvatures, etc. is compared with the healthy structure as the reference, however in the high frequency approaches, excitation of structures at higher modes of the order of few kHz or more needed with distributed sensors to map the deflection for identification of delamination. Use of high frequency methods imposes the limitations on the use of the conventional electromagnetic shaker and vibration sensors, whereas the low frequency methods may not be feasible for practical purpose because it often requires data from the healthy state which may not be available for old structures. Hence the objective of this research is to develop a novel reference-free method which can just use the vibration responses at a few lower modes using a conventional shaker and vibration sensors (accelerometers/laser vibrometers). It is believed that the delaminated layers will interact nonlinearly when excited externally. Hence this mechanism has been utilised in the numerical simulations and the experiments on the healthy and delaminated composite plates. Two methods have been developed here - first method can quickly identify the presence of the delamination when excited at just few lower modes and other method identify the location once the presence of the delamination is confirmed. In the first approach an averaged normalised RMS has been suggested and experimentally validated for this purpose. Latter the vibration data have then been analysed further to identify the location of delamination and its size. Initially, the measured acceleration responses from the composite plates have been differentiated twice to amplify the nonlinear interaction clearly in case of delaminated plate and then kurtosis was calculated at each measured location to identify the delamination location. The method has further been simplified by just using the harmonics in the measured responses to identify the location. The thesis presents the process of the development of the novel methods, details of analysis, observations and results.

There are numerous benefits associated with replacing hydraulic actuators with electrical counterparts as part of an all electric landing gear including reduced consumption of non-propulsive engine power, reduced weight, reduced cost and the elimination of hydraulic systems. The development of health monitoring systems to support the introduction of electrical actuation systems into landing gears will aid in guaranteeing reliability and to optimise landing gear maintenance activities. One of the difficulties with designing health monitoring for industrial integration involves the large number of subject areas involved, ranging from architectural design, software and signal processing design, hardware selection and business modelling. The reason that many health monitoring systems never reach full development maturity is that there is a failure in realising a holistic design process. The purpose of this thesis and the overall contribution which has been made is to bring together a combined understanding of landing gear design, health monitoring and the business environment for aircraft maintenance in order for a holistic design process for landing gear health monitoring to be realised.