Energy harvesting is a promising and evolving field of research capable of supplying power to systems in a broad range of applications. In particular, the ability to gather energy directly from the environment without human intervention makes energy harvesting an excellent option for powering autonomous sensors in remote or hazardous locations. This dissertation examines the possibility of using energy harvesting in new and innovative ways to power wireless sensor nodes placed in the substructures of highway bridges for structural health monitoring. Estimates for power requirements are established, using a wireless sensor node from National Instruments as an example system. Available power in a bridge environment is calculated for different energy sources, including solar radiation, wind, and vibration from traffic. Feasibility of using energy harvesting in such an application is addressed for both power availability and cost as compared with grid power or primary batteries. An in-depth functional analysis of existing energy-harvesting systems is also presented, with insights into where innovation would be most beneficial in future systems. Finally, the development of a suite of complementary energy-harvesting devices is described. Because conditions on bridges may vary, multiple solutions involving different energy domains are desired, with the end user able to select the harvester most appropriate for the specific installation. Concept generation techniques such as mind-mapping and 6-3-5 (C-Sketch) are used to produce a wide variety of concepts, from which several promising concept variants are selected. The continued development for one concept, which harvests vibration using piezoelectric materials, is described. Analytical modeling is presented for static and dynamic loading, as well as predicted power generation. Two proof-of-concept prototypes are built and tested in laboratory conditions. Through the development of this prototype, it is shown that the example wireless sensor node can successfully be powered through energy harvesting, and insights are shared concerning the situations where this and other energy harvesters would be most appropriate. / text

In this thesis, miniaturized wavelength interrogators based on planar lightwave circuits (PLCs) are investigated and developed for the optical fiber sensing applications in the aircraft structural health monitoring (SHM) and optofluidic analysis. Two interrogation systems based on an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) and an Echelle diffractive grating (EDG) are developed and used to convert the optical sensing signals into strain, temperature, vibration, damage, and humidity information for the aircraft SHM. A fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing system using developed interrogators is then demonstrated in a field test for aircraft SHM applications. For optofluidic analysis, a PLCs based optofluidic device consisting of two on-chip lens sets is built to enhance the optical manipulation capability of particles. Then, a solution to a multi-functional Lab-on-a-Chip platform for optofluidic analysis is proposed, which integrates the developed particle maneuvering device, grating-structured sensors, and miniaturized interrogators.

abstract: Composite materials are increasingly being used in aircraft, automobiles, and other applications due to their high strength to weight and stiffness to weight ratios. However, the presence of damage, such as delamination or matrix cracks, can significantly compromise the performance of these materials and result in premature failure. Structural components are often manually inspected to detect the presence of damage. This technique, known as schedule based maintenance, however, is expensive, time-consuming, and often limited to easily accessible structural elements. Therefore, there is an increased demand for robust and efficient Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) techniques that can be used for Condition Based Monitoring, which is the method in which structural components are inspected based upon damage metrics as opposed to flight hours. SHM relies on in situ frameworks for detecting early signs of damage in exposed and unexposed structural elements, offering not only reduced number of schedule based inspections, but also providing better useful life estimates. SHM frameworks require the development of different sensing technologies, algorithms, and procedures to detect, localize, quantify, characterize, as well as assess overall damage in aerospace structures so that strong estimations in the remaining useful life can be determined. The use of piezoelectric transducers along with guided Lamb waves is a method that has received considerable attention due to the weight, cost, and function of the systems based on these elements. The research in this thesis investigates the ability of Lamb waves to detect damage in feature dense anisotropic composite panels. Most current research negates the effects of experimental variability by performing tests on structurally simple isotropic plates that are used as a baseline and damaged specimen. However, in actual applications, variability cannot be negated, and therefore there is a need to research the effects of complex sample geometries, environmental operating conditions, and the effects of variability in material properties. This research is based on experiments conducted on a single blade-stiffened anisotropic composite panel that localizes delamination damage caused by impact. The overall goal was to utilize a correlative approach that used only the damage feature produced by the delamination as the damage index. This approach was adopted because it offered a simplistic way to determine the existence and location of damage without having to conduct a more complex wave propagation analysis or having to take into account the geometric complexities of the test specimen. Results showed that even in a complex structure, if the damage feature can be extracted and measured, then an appropriate damage index can be associated to it and the location of the damage can be inferred using a dense sensor array. The second experiment presented in this research studies the effects of temperature on damage detection when using one test specimen for a benchmark data set and another for damage data collection. This expands the previous experiment into exploring not only the effects of variable temperature, but also the effects of high experimental variability. Results from this work show that the damage feature in the data is not only extractable at higher temperatures, but that the data from one panel at one temperature can be directly compared to another panel at another temperature for baseline comparison due to linearity of the collected data. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Aerospace Engineering 2012

Detecção de dano em estruturas de engenharia de grandes dimensões através da análise de suas características dinâmicas envolve diversos campos de estudo. O primeiro deles trata da identificação dos parâmetros modais da estrutura, uma vez que executar testes de vibração livre em tais estruturas não é uma tarefa simples, necessita-se de um método robusto que seja capaz de identificar os parâmetros modais dessa estrutura a ações ambientais, campo esse chamado de análise modal operacional. Este trabalho trata do problema de detecção de dano em estruturas que possam ser representadas através de modelos em pórticos planos e vigas e que estejam submetidos à ação de vibrações ambientais. A localização do dano é determinada através de um algoritmo de otimização conhecido como Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA) fazendo uso de uma função objetivo que utiliza as frequências naturais e modos de vibração identificados da estrutura. Simulações e testes são feitos a fim de verificar a concordância da metodologia para ambos os casos. Para as simulações, são utilizados casos mais gerais de carregamentos dinâmicos, e dois níveis de ruído (3% e 5%) são adicionados ao sinal de respostas para que esses ensaios se assemelhem aos ensaios experimentais, onde o ruído é inerente do processo. Já nos ensaios experimentais, apenas testes de vibração livre são executados. Diversos cenários de dano são propostos para as estruturas analisadas a fim de se verificar a robustez da rotina de detecção de dano. Os resultados mostram que a etapa de identificação modal estocástica através do método de identificação estocástica de subespaço (SSI) teve ótimos resultados, possibilitando, assim, a localização da região danificada da estrutura em todos os casos analisados. / Damage detection in large dimensions engineering structures through the analysis of their dynamic characteristics involves several fields. The first one deals with the structure modal identification parameter, since running free vibration tests in such structures is not a simple task, robust methods are needed in order to identify the modal parameters of this structure under ambient vibrations, this field is known as operational modal analysis. This work deals with the problem of damage detection in structures under ambient vibrations that can be represented by FEM using frame and beam elements. The damage location is determined through an optimization algorithm know as Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA). It uses as objective function the identified natural frequencies and modes of vibration of the structure. Numerical and experimental tests are performed to assess the agreement of the methodology for both cases. For the numerical tests, more general cases of dynamic loads are used, and two noise levels (3% and 5%) are added to the response signal to assessing the robustness of the methodology close to the field conditions, in which noise is inherent of the process. In the experimental tests, only free vibration tests are performed. Several damage scenarios are proposed for the analyzed structures to check the robustness of the damage detection routine. The results show that the stochastic modal identification using the stochastic subspace identification (SSI) method had excellent results, thus allowing the location of the damaged region of the structure in all analyzed cases.

Damage identification is an important topic in structural assessment and structural health monitoring (SHM). Vibration-based identification techniques use modal data to identify the existence, location and severity of possible damages in structures, often via a numerical model updating procedure. Among other factors influencing the practicality and reliability of a damage identification approach, two are of primary interest to this study. The first one concerns the amount and quality of modal data that can be used as ‘response’ data for the model updating. It is generally recognised that natural frequencies can be measured with relatively high accuracy; however, their number is limited. Mode shapes, on the other hand, are susceptible to larger measurement errors. Seeking additional modal frequency data is therefore of significant value. The second one concerns the errors at the numerical (finite element) model level, particularly in the representation of the effect of damage on the dynamic properties of the structure. An inadequate damage model can lead to inaccurate and even false damage identification. The first part of the thesis is devoted to enhancing the modal dataset by extracting the so called ‘artificial boundary condition’ (ABC) frequencies in a real measurement environment. The ABC frequencies correspond to the natural frequencies of the structure with a perturbed boundary condition, but can be generated without the need of actually altering the physical support condition. A comprehensive experimental study on the extraction of such frequencies has been conducted. The test specimens included steel beams of relatively flexible nature, as well as thick and stiffer beams made from metal material and reinforced concrete, to cover the typical variation of the dynamic characteristics of real-life structures in a laboratory condition. The extracted ABC frequencies are subsequently applied in the damage identification in beams. Results demonstrate that it is possible to extract the first few ABC frequencies from the modal testing in different beam settings for a variety of ABC incorporating one or two virtual pin supports. The inclusion of ABC frequencies enables the identification of structural damages satisfactorily without the necessity to involve the mode shape information. The second part of the thesis is devoted to developing a robust model updating and damage identification approach for beam cracks, with a special focus on thick beams which present a more challenging problem in terms of the effect of a crack than slender beams. The priority task has been to establish a crack model which comprehensively describes the effect of a crack to reduce the modelling errors. A cracked Timoshenko beam element model is introduced for explicit beam crack identification. The cracked beam element model is formulated by incorporating an additional flexibility due to a crack using the fracture mechanics principles. Complex effects in cracked thick beams, including shear deformation and coupling between transverse and longitudinal vibrations, are represented in the model. The accuracy of the cracked beam element model for predicting modal data of cracked thick beams is first verified against numerically simulated examples. The consistency of predictions across different modes is examined in comparison with the conventional stiffness reduction approach. Upon satisfactory verification, a tailored model updating procedure incorporating an adaptive discretisation approach is developed for the implementation of the cracked beam element model for crack identification. The updating procedure is robust in that it has no restriction on the location, severity and number of cracks to be identified. Example updating results demonstrate that satisfactory identification can be achieved for practically any configurations of cracks in a beam. Experimental study with five solid beam specimens is then carried out to further verify the developed cracked beam element model. Both forward verification and crack damage identification with the tested beams show similar level of accuracy to that with the numerically simulated examples. The cracked beam element model can be extended to crack identification of beams with complex cross sections. To do so the additional flexibility matrix for a specific cross-section type needs to be re-formulated. In the present study this is done for box sections. The stress intensity factors (SIF) for a box section as required for the establishment of the additional flexibility matrix are formulated with an empirical approach combining FE simulation, parametric analysis and regression analysis. The extended cracked beam element model is verified against both FE simulated and experimentally measured modal data. The model is subsequently incorporated in the crack identification for box beams. The successful extension of the cracked beam element model to the box beams paves the way for similar extension to the crack identification of other types of sections in real-life engineering applications.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-11-24Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:55:43Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 franco_vr_me_ilha.pdf: 5148348 bytes, checksum: 722b347f89e5e9a0aa5c379afe0dadba (MD5) / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP) / Este trabalho apresenta o estudo e desenvolvimento de uma técnica de monitoramento da integridade estrutural, para identificação e caracterização de falhas estruturais através da metodologia das ondas de Lamb utilizando materiais piezelétricos como sensores e atuadores. Ondas de Lamb são uma forma de perturbação elástica que se propaga guiada entre duas superfícies paralelas livres. Ondas de Lamb são formadas quando o atuador excita a superfície da estrutura com um pulso depois de receber um sinal. Quando uma onda propaga na superfície de uma placa, ela chega em um PZT sensor por diferentes caminhos. Um caminho é quando a onda atinge o sensor diretamente, ou seja, sem obstáculos no caminho em que ela se propaga. Outro caminho possível é quando a onda chega ao sensor após se propagar sobre descontinuidades existentes na superfície da estrutura. Com as várias características dos sinais recebidos, e com o uso de certas técnicas de processamento de sinais, essas falhas podem ser identificadas, realizando-se a ação correta tentando evitar a total falha da estrutura. Nesse contexto, diferentes testes experimentais foram realizados em diferentes tipos de estruturas. Redes de sensores e atuadores piezelétricos foram acopladas na superfície dessas estruturas, a fim de se fazer a configuração das ondas de Lamb. Os PZTs atuadores excitaram a estrutura em altas faixas de frequência. Diferentes tipos de falhas estruturais foram simuladas, através do aumento de massa, alteração de rigidez e através de cortes na borda das estruturas. Quatro índices de falha foram utilizados para detectar a presença da falha na estrutura, são eles: Root- Means-Square Deviation (RMSD), Índice de Falha Métrica (IFM), Norma H2 e Correlation Coefficient Deviation Mean (CCDM). Estes índices foram computados através dos sinais de entrada e de saída no domínio da frequência... / This work presents the study and development of a Structural Health Monitoring technique for identification and characterization of structural damages based on Lamb waves methodology using piezoelectric materials as actuators and sensors. Lamb waves are a form of elastic perturbation that remains guided between two parallel free surfaces. Lamb waves are formed when the actuator excites the structure’s surface with a pulse after receiving a signal. When the wave propagates on the structure, it comes in a PZT sensor from different paths. One path is when the wave reaches the sensor directly, i.e. without obstacles in the path in which it propagated. Another possible path is when the wave reaches the sensor after spreads on discontinuities in the structure’s surface. Damages can be detected and located through several features of the received signals and with the use of certain techniques of signal processing. In this context, several experimental tests were performed on different kinds of structures. Piezoelectric actuators and sensors networks were attached on the surface of these structures in order to make the Lamb waves configuration. The PZTs actuators excited the structure in high frequency ranges. Different kinds of structural damages were simulated by increasing mass, reduction of stiffness and cuts through the edge of the structures. Four damage-sensitive indexes were used to detect the presence of the damage in the structure: Root-Means-Square Deviation (RMSD), Metric Damage Index (MDI), H2 Norm and Correlation Coefficient Deviation (CCDM). These indices were computed in the frequency domain. The results showed the viability of the Lamb waves methodology for Structural Health Monitoring system using smart materials as actuators and sensors

Submitted by Danilo Ecidir Budoya (dbudoya.eng@gmail.com) on 2018-04-25T21:17:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação - Danilo Budoya.pdf: 3474646 bytes, checksum: 301f48ae4a6c065e915f91fe3d764dd8 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Minervina Teixeira Lopes null (vina_lopes@bauru.unesp.br) on 2018-04-26T12:29:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 budoya_de_me_bauru.pdf: 3415870 bytes, checksum: 35422f7801e20a052d2c9a303aa7e2dd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-26T12:29:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 budoya_de_me_bauru.pdf: 3415870 bytes, checksum: 35422f7801e20a052d2c9a303aa7e2dd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-20 / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Sistemas de monitoramento de integridade estrutural (SHM – Structural Health Monitoring) são científica e economicamente relevantes como métodos de detecção de danos estruturais em diversos tipos de estruturas, aumentando assim a segurança e reduzindo os custos de manutenção. Entre os vários princípios de detecção de danos, o método da impedância eletromecânica (E/M) baseia-se na medição da impedância elétrica do transdutor piezelétrico fixado à estrutura monitorada. Aqui, a exatidão e precisão do sistema de medição são fundamentais para o diagnóstico correto da estrutura. Portanto, essa dissertação apresenta uma análise comparativa de duas técnicas de medição de impedância para detecção de danos que são tipicamente utilizadas em analisadores de impedância comerciais e em outros sistemas de medição alternativos: medições em estado transitório utilizando um sinal de excitação de varredura e medições em estado estacionário utilizando um sinal senoidal puro para cada frequência de excitação. Os testes foram realizados com cargas resistivas e capacitivas de valores nominais 100 Ω e 10 nF, respectivamente, e com um transdutor piezelétrico fixado em uma barra de alumínio que representa uma estrutura monitorada. As duas técnicas foram comparadas com base na exatidão, precisão, sensibilidade à danos e tempo necessário para as medições. Os resultados destacam as características importantes de cada técnica, as quais devem ser consideradas para o desenvolvimento de sistemas de SHM baseados na impedância e o diagnóstico correto das estruturas monitoradas. / Structural health monitoring (SHM) systems are scientifically and economically relevant as methods of detecting structural damage to various types of structures, thus increasing safety and reducing maintenance costs. Among the various principles of damage detection, the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method is based on the electrical impedance measurement of piezoelectric transducers attached to the monitored structure. Here, the accuracy and precision of the measurement system are fundamental for the correct diagnosis of the structure. Therefore, this dissertation presents a comparative analysis of two impedance measurement techniques for damage detection that are typically used in commercial impedance analyzers and other alternative measurement systems: transient-state measurements using a sweep excitation signal and steady-state measurements using a pure sinusoidal signal for each excitation frequency. Tests were performed with resistive and capacitive loads with nominal values of 100 Ω e 10 nF, respectively, and a piezoelectric transducer fixed to an aluminum bar representing a monitored structure. The two techniques were compared based on the accuracy, precision, sensibility to damage and time required for the measurements. The results highlight the important features of each technique, which should be considered for the development of impedance-based SHM systems and the correct diagnosis of monitored structures. / 2015/23272-1

Resumo: Este trabalho apresenta o estudo e desenvolvimento de uma técnica de monitoramento da integridade estrutural, para identificação e caracterização de falhas estruturais através da metodologia das ondas de Lamb utilizando materiais piezelétricos como sensores e atuadores. Ondas de Lamb são uma forma de perturbação elástica que se propaga guiada entre duas superfícies paralelas livres. Ondas de Lamb são formadas quando o atuador excita a superfície da estrutura com um pulso depois de receber um sinal. Quando uma onda propaga na superfície de uma placa, ela chega em um PZT sensor por diferentes caminhos. Um caminho é quando a onda atinge o sensor diretamente, ou seja, sem obstáculos no caminho em que ela se propaga. Outro caminho possível é quando a onda chega ao sensor após se propagar sobre descontinuidades existentes na superfície da estrutura. Com as várias características dos sinais recebidos, e com o uso de certas técnicas de processamento de sinais, essas falhas podem ser identificadas, realizando-se a ação correta tentando evitar a total falha da estrutura. Nesse contexto, diferentes testes experimentais foram realizados em diferentes tipos de estruturas. Redes de sensores e atuadores piezelétricos foram acopladas na superfície dessas estruturas, a fim de se fazer a configuração das ondas de Lamb. Os PZTs atuadores excitaram a estrutura em altas faixas de frequência. Diferentes tipos de falhas estruturais foram simuladas, através do aumento de massa, alteração de rigidez e através de cortes na borda das estruturas. Quatro índices de falha foram utilizados para detectar a presença da falha na estrutura, são eles: Root- Means-Square Deviation (RMSD), Índice de Falha Métrica (IFM), Norma H2 e Correlation Coefficient Deviation Mean (CCDM). Estes índices foram computados através dos sinais de entrada e de saída no domínio da frequência... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This work presents the study and development of a Structural Health Monitoring technique for identification and characterization of structural damages based on Lamb waves methodology using piezoelectric materials as actuators and sensors. Lamb waves are a form of elastic perturbation that remains guided between two parallel free surfaces. Lamb waves are formed when the actuator excites the structure's surface with a pulse after receiving a signal. When the wave propagates on the structure, it comes in a PZT sensor from different paths. One path is when the wave reaches the sensor directly, i.e. without obstacles in the path in which it propagated. Another possible path is when the wave reaches the sensor after spreads on discontinuities in the structure's surface. Damages can be detected and located through several features of the received signals and with the use of certain techniques of signal processing. In this context, several experimental tests were performed on different kinds of structures. Piezoelectric actuators and sensors networks were attached on the surface of these structures in order to make the Lamb waves configuration. The PZTs actuators excited the structure in high frequency ranges. Different kinds of structural damages were simulated by increasing mass, reduction of stiffness and cuts through the edge of the structures. Four damage-sensitive indexes were used to detect the presence of the damage in the structure: Root-Means-Square Deviation (RMSD), Metric Damage Index (MDI), H2 Norm and Correlation Coefficient Deviation (CCDM). These indices were computed in the frequency domain. The results showed the viability of the Lamb waves methodology for Structural Health Monitoring system using smart materials as actuators and sensors / Orientador: Vicente Lopes Junior / Coorientador: Michael J. Brennan / Banca: Gilberto Pechoto de Melo / Banca: José Roberto de França Arruda / Mestre

Orientador: Fábio Roberto Chavarette / Resumo: Diante da constante necessidade de avanço tecnológico na agricultura para promover o aumento da produtividade e seguranças aos indivíduos envolvidos no processo, esta pesquisa apresenta o desenvolvimento de um sistema inteligente, utilizando redes neurais artificiais, aplicado ao monitoramento e análise de falhas estruturais em um trator. Simulou-se o trator por meio de um modelo numérico, representado através de equações diferenciais, o qual gera sinais conforme se alteram os parâmetros de velocidade do trator e a distância entre as saliências no solo. Para a análise, identificação e classificação dos dados simulados computacionalmente, foi utilizado uma rede neural do tipo ARTMAP-Fuzzy, que utiliza conceitos da Teoria da Ressonância Adaptativa, cujo algoritmo foi desenvolvido utilizando o programa Matlab. A principal aplicação deste sistema é inspecionar a estrutura do trator objetivando sua melhor conservação, indicando se o mesmo encontra-se em condições normais ou em caso de falha estrutural. Caso uma falha seja detectada, é possível classificar seu tipo. Os resultados evidenciados foram obtidos por meio de média simples entre as execuções do sistema, em virtude de se elevar a veracidade das informações demonstradas. Os resultados obtidos na aplicação da rede neural ao problema especificado mostraram-se ser satisfatórios. / Abstract: Faced with the constant need for technological advancement in agriculture to promote increased productivity and security to individuals involved in the process, this research presents the development of an intelligent system using artificial neural networks applied to the structural health monitoring and analysis of failure on a tractor. The tractor was simulated by means of a numerical model built by differential equations, which generates signals according to the parameters of tractor's speed and the distance between consecutive protrusions on the ground. For the analysis, identification and classification of computationally simulated data, a artificial neural network known as ARTMAP-fuzzy was used, which uses concepts of Adaptive Resonance Theory, whose algorithm was developed using Matlab. The main application of this system is to inspect the tractor structure aiming its better conservation, indicating whether it is in normal conditions or in case of structural failure. If the fault was detected, it is possible to classify the type of failure identified. The disclosed results were obtained by simple average between the executions of the system, because to increase the accuracy of the information shown. The results obtained in the application of artificial neural network to the specified problem proved to be satisfactory. / Mestre

Thesis (MTech (Mechanical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. / Currently non-destructive testing techniques for composite aircraft structures are disadvantaged when compared to online Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems that monitor the structure while in-service and give real time data. The present research work looks at developing a protocol for online structural health monitoring of a UAV wing structure using PVDF film sensors, especially including the monitoring of structural changes caused by defects. Different types of SHM techniques were studied in relation to carbon fibre composites. Laminate composite make-up and manufacturing process was investigated and vacuum infusion process was used to manufacture the samples that resemble the Guardian II wing structure, then the three-point bending test was used to determine the material properties. Digital Shearography was employed as a stationery non-destructive technique to determine the sensor to structure attachment, type and position of defects that affect the state of performance. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was done using ANSYS Workbench which served as a modelling tool using a drawing imported from Solid-works. Experimental investigation was done using PVDF sensor embedded on the surface of the sample in a cantilever setup and a vertical Vernier scale to measure the deflection due to impact and vibration loading. A Fluke-View oscilloscope was used as a data logger when the measurement of the output voltage and the natural frequency were recorded. The techniques of using FEA and experimental investigation were then compared. The findings of this study showed that the PVDF sensor is suitable for condition monitoring of a UAV wing structure.