A Feasibility Study on Timber Damage Detection Using Piezoceramic-Transducer-Enabled Active Sensing

Experimental Study on Damage Identification of Nano-SiO2 Concrete Filled GFRP Tube Column Using Piezoceramic Transducers

This paper proposes a new approach to damage detection of nano-SiO₂ concrete-filled glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube column using piezoceramic transducers. Stress waves are emitted and received by a pair of piezoceramic transducers embedded in the concrete-filled GFRP tube, and the energy and damage indices at different levels of loading in the tube are obtained by wavelet packet to evaluate the damage degree of GFRP tube nano-SiO₂ concrete column. Through the experimental studies, the effects of different nano-SiO₂ contents, concrete grades, and superplasticizer on the damage were analyzed to gain load–displacement curves, load–energy index curves, and load–damage index curves. The results show that the wave method can be adopted to monitor the damage of GFRP tube nano-SiO₂ concrete column. The specimens with 3% nano-SiO₂ content have the smallest energy change rate, indicating that adding 3% nano-SiO₂ content into concrete can effectively delay the development of damage. After the addition of superplasticizer, with the increase in the strength grade of concrete, the cracks in the specimen tend to develop slowly, and therefore the specimens have a stronger resistance to damage. The damage of the specimens with the nano-SiO₂ content of 1% appeared the latest, while the damage without the nano-SiO₂ specimen appeared the fastest. The experimental results show that this method can better monitor the damage of the Nano-SiO₂ concrete in the glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) tube.

Monitoring of Interfacial Debonding of Concrete Filled Pultrusion-GFRP Tubular Column Based on Piezoelectric Smart Aggregate and Wavelet Analysis

The concrete filled pultrusion-GFRP (Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer) tubular column (CFGC) is popular in hydraulic structures or regions with poor environmental conditions due to its excellent corrosion resistance. Considering the influence of concrete hydration heat, shrinkage, and creep, debonding may occur in the interface between the GFRP tube and the concrete, which will greatly reduce the cooperation of the GFRP tube and concrete, and will weaken the mechanical property of CFGC. This paper introduces an active monitoring method based on the piezoelectric transducer. In the active sensing approach, the smart aggregate (SA) embedded in the concrete acted as a driver to transmit a modulated stress wave, and the PZT (Lead Zirconate Titanate) patches attached on the outer surface of CFGC serve as sensors to receive signals and transfer them to the computer for saving. Two groups of experiments were designed with the different debonding areas and thicknesses. The artificial damage of CFGC was identified and located by comparing the value of the delay under pulse excitation and the difference of wavelet-based energy under sweep excitation, and the damage indexes were defined based on the wavelet packet energy to quantify the level of the interface damage. The results showed that the debonding damage area of CFGC can be identified effectively through the active monitoring method, and the damage index can accurately reflect the damage level of the interface of GFRP tube and concrete. Therefore, this method can be used to identify and evaluate the interface debonding of CFGC in real time. In addition, if the method can be combined with remote sensing technology, it can be used as a real-time remote sensing monitoring technology to provide a solution for interface health monitoring of CFGC.

Piezoceramic-Based Damage Monitoring of Concrete Structure for Underwater Blasting

This paper developed a piezoelectric-transducer-based damage detection of concrete materials after blasting. Two specimens (with or without an energy-relieving structure) were subjected to a 40 m deep-underwater blasting load in an underwater-explosion vessel, and their damage was detected by a multifunctional piezoelectric-signal-monitoring and -analysis system before and after the explosion. Statistical-data analysis of the piezoelectric signals revealed four zones: crushing, fracture, damage, and safe zones. The signal energy was analyzed and calculated by wavelet-packet analysis, and the blasting-damage index was obtained after the concrete specimen was subjected to the impact load of the underwater explosion. The damage of the two specimens gradually decreased from the blast hole to the bottom of the specimen. The damage index of the specimen with the energy-relieving structure differed for the fracture area and the damage area, and the damage protection of the energy-relieving structure was prominent at the bottom of the specimen. The piezoelectric-transducer-based damage monitoring of concrete materials is sensitive to underwater blasting, and with wavelet-packet-energy analysis, it can be used for postblasting damage detection and the evaluation of concrete materials.

Design, Analysis, and Experiment on a Novel Stick-Slip Piezoelectric Actuator with a Lever Mechanism

A piezoelectric actuator using a lever mechanism is designed, fabricated, and tested with the aim of accomplishing long-travel precision linear driving based on the stick-slip principle. The proposed actuator mainly consists of a stator, an adjustment mechanism, a preload mechanism, a base, and a linear guide. The stator design, comprising a piezoelectric stack and a lever mechanism with a long hinge used to increase the displacement of the driving foot, is described. A simplified model of the stator is created. Its design parameters are determined by an analytical model and confirmed using the finite element method. In a series of experiments, a laser displacement sensor is employed to measure the displacement responses of the actuator under the application of different driving signals. The experiment results demonstrate that the velocity of the actuator rises from 0.05 mm/s to 1.8 mm/s with the frequency increasing from 30 Hz to 150 Hz and the voltage increasing from 30 V to 150 V. It is shown that the minimum step distance of the actuator is 0.875 μm. The proposed actuator features large stroke, a simple structure, fast response, and high resolution.

Grouting Quality Evaluation in Post-Tensioning Tendon Ducts Using Wavelet Packet Transform and Bayes Classifier

The grouting quality of tendon ducts is very important for post-tensioning technology in order to protect the prestressing reinforcement from environmental corrosion and to make a smooth stress distribution. Unfortunately, various grouting defects occur in practice, and there is no efficient method to evaluate grouting compactness yet. In this study, a method based on wavelet packet transform (WPT) and Bayes classifier was proposed to evaluate grouting conditions using stress waves generated and received by piezoelectric transducers. Six typical grouting conditions with both partial grouting and cavity defects of different dimensions were experimentally investigated. The WPT was applied to explore the energy of received stress waves at multi-scales. After that, the Bayes classifier was employed to identify the grouting conditions, by taking the traditionally used total energy and the proposed energy vector of WPT components as input, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the Bayes classifier input with the energy vector could identify different grouting conditions more accurately. The proposed method has the potential to be applied at key spots of post-tensioning tendon ducts in practice.

Experimental Study on Active Interface Debonding Detection for Rectangular Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes with Surface Wave Measurement

Concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members have been widely employed as major structural members carrying axial or vertical loads and the interface bond condition between steel tube and concrete core plays key roles in ensuring the confinement effect of steel tube on concrete core. An effective interface debonding defect detection approach for CFSTs is critical. In this paper, an active interface debonding detection approach using surface wave measurement with a piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) patch as sensor mounted on the outer surface of the CFST member excited with a PZT actuator mounted on the identical surface is proposed in order to avoid embedding PZT-based smart aggregates (SAs) in concrete core. In order to validate the feasibility of the proposed approach and to investigate the effect of interface debonding defect on the surface wave measurement, two rectangular CFST specimens with different degrees of interface debonding defects on three internal surfaces are designed and experimentally studied. Surface stress waves excited by the PZT actuator and propagating along the steel tube of the specimens are measured by the PZT sensors with a pitch and catch pattern. Results show that the surface-mounted PZT sensor measurement is sensitive to the existence of interface debonding defect and the interface debonding defect leads to the increase in the voltage amplitude of surface wave measurement. A damage index defined with the surface wave measurement has a linear relationship with the heights of the interface debonding defects.

Interfacial Debonding Detection for Rectangular CFST Using the MASW Method and Its Physical Mechanism Analysis at the Meso-Level

In this study, the transient multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) is proposed to detect the existence, the location and the length of interface debonding defects in rectangular concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST). Mesoscale numerical analysis is performed to validate the feasibility of MASW-based interfacial debonding detection. Research findings indicate that the coaxial characteristics in the Rayleigh wave disperse at the starting point of the debonding area and gradually restores at the end of the defect. For healthy specimens, the surface wave mode in CFST is closer to the Rayleigh wave. However, it can be treated as a Lamb wave since the steel plate is boundary-free on both sides in the debonding area. The displacement curves are further investigated with forward analysis to obtain the dispersion curves. The mesoscale numerical simulation results indicate that the propagation characteristic of the surface wave is dominated by the debonding defect. The detectability of interfacial debonding detection for rectangular CFST using the MASW approach is numerically verified in this study. The proposed MASW-based nondestructive testing technique can achieve bond-slip detection by comparing the variation trend of the coaxial characteristics in the time-history output signals and the dispersion curves obtained from the forward analysis, for avoiding misjudgment of the experimental observations.

Damage Detection of Common Timber Connections Using Piezoceramic Transducers and Active Sensing

Timber structures have been widely used due to their low-cost and environmental-friendly properties. It is essential to monitor connection damage to ensure the stability and safety of entire timber structures since timber connection damage may induce catastrophic incidents if not detected in a timely manner. However, the current investigations on timber connections focus on mechanical properties and failure modes, and the damage detection of timber connection receives rare attention. Therefore, in this paper, we investigate the damage detection of four common timber connections (i.e., the screw connection, the bolt connection, the decussation connection, and the tooth plate connection) by using the active sensing method. The active sensing method was implemented by using a pair of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers: one PZT patch is used as an actuator to generate stress waves, and the other works as a sensor to detect stress waves after propagating across the timber connection. Based on the wavelet packet energy analysis, the signal energy levels of received stress waves under different damage extent are quantified. Finally, by comparing the signal energy between the intact status and the damage status of the timber connection, we find that the energy attenuates with increasing severity of the connection damage. The experimental results demonstrate that the active sensing method can realize real-time monitoring of timber connection damage, which can guide further investigations.

Characterization of Ultrasonic Energy Diffusion in a Steel Alloy Sample with Tensile Force Using PZT Transducers

During the propagation of ultrasound in a polycrystalline material, ultrasonic energy losses due to the scattering at the boundaries between grains is usually described by the ultrasonic energy diffusion equation, and the boundaries of the grains in the material are influenced by the structural load. The aim of this research is to investigate the characterization of ultrasonic energy diffusion in a steel alloy sample under structural load by using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers. To investigate the influence of structural load on ultrasonic energy diffusion, an experimental setup of a steel alloy plate under different tensile forces is designed and four samples with similar dimensions are fabricated. The experimental results of the four samples reveal that, during the loading process, the normalized ultrasonic energy diffusion coefficient fluctuates firstly, then decreases and at last increases as the tensile force increases. The proposed tensile force index shows a similar changing trend to the recorded displacement of the sample. Moreover, when the tensile force is less than the lower yield point or the sample deforms elastically, the index can be approximated by a cubic model. Therefore, the proposed tensile force index can be used to monitor the tensile force in the elastic deformation stage. Moreover, based on these findings, some force evaluation methods and their potential applications, such as the preloading detection of bolts, can be developed based on the linear relationships between the proposed index and the applied force.

Bond-Slip Monitoring of Concrete Structures Using Smart Sensors-A Review

Concrete structures with various reinforcements, such as steel bars, composite material tendons, and recently steel plates, are commonly used in civil infrastructures. When an external force overcomes the strength of the bond between the reinforcement and the concrete, bond-slip will occur, resulting in a relative displacement between the reinforcing materials and the concrete. Monitoring bond health plays an important role in guaranteeing structural safety. Recently, researchers have recognized the importance of bond-slip monitoring and performed many related investigations. In this paper, a state-of-the-art review on various smart sensors based on piezoelectric effect and fiber optic technology, as well as corresponding techniques for bond-slip monitoring is presented. Since piezoelectric sensors and fiber-optic sensors are widely used in bond-slip monitoring, their principles and relevant monitoring methods are also introduced in this paper. Particularly, the piezoelectric-based bond-slip monitoring methods including the active sensing method, the electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) method and the passive sensing using acoustic emission (AE) method, and the fiber-optic-based bond-slip detecting approaches including the fiber Bragg grating (FBG) and the distributed fiber optic sensing are highlighted. This paper provides guidance for practical applications and future development of bond-slip monitoring.

A PZT-Based Electromechanical Impedance Method for Monitoring the Soil Freeze⁻Thaw Process

It is important to conduct research on the soil freeze–thaw process because concurrent adverse effects always occur during this process and can cause serious damage to engineering structures. In this paper, the variation of the impedance signature and the stress wave signal at different temperatures was monitored by using Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) transducers through the electromechanical impedance (EMI) method and the active sensing method. Three piezoceramic-based smart aggregates were used in this research. Among them, two smart aggregates were used for the active sensing method, through which one works as an actuator to emit the stress wave signal and the other one works as a sensor to receive the signal. In addition, another smart aggregate was employed for the EMI testing, in which it serves as both an actuator and a receiver to monitor the impedance signature. The trend of the impedance signature with variation of the temperature during the soil freeze–thaw process was obtained. Moreover, the relationship between the energy index of the stress wave signal and the soil temperature was established based on wavelet packet energy analysis. The results demonstrate that the piezoceramic-based electromechanical impedance method is reliable for monitoring the soil freezing and thawing process.

Design of a New Stress Wave-Based Pulse Position Modulation (PPM) Communication System with Piezoceramic Transducers

Stress wave-based communication has great potential for succeeding in subsea environments where many conventional methods would otherwise face excessive difficulty, and it can benefit logging well by using the drill string as a conduit for stress wave propagation. To achieve stress wave communication, a new stress wave-based pulse position modulation (PPM) communication system is designed and implemented to transmit data through pipeline structures with the help of piezoceramic transducers. This system consists of both hardware and software components. The hardware is composed of a piezoceramic transducer that can generate powerful stress waves travelling along a pipeline, upon touching, and a PPM signal generator that drives the piezoceramic transducer. Once the transducer is in contact with a pipeline surface, the generator integrated with an amplifier is utilized to excite the piezoceramic transducer with a voltage signal that is modulated to encode the information. The resulting vibrations of the transducer generates stress waves that propagate throughout the pipeline. Meanwhile, piezoceramic sensors mounted on the pipeline convert the stress waves to electric signals and the signal can be demodulated. In order to enable the encoding and decoding of information in the stress wave, a PPM-based communication protocol was integrated into the software system. A verification experiment demonstrates the functionality of the developed system for stress wave communication using piezoceramic transducers and the result shows that the data transmission speed of this new communication system can reach 67 bits per second (bps).

Feasibility Study of Real-Time Monitoring of Pin Connection Wear Using Acoustic Emission

Pin connections are one of the most important connecting forms and they have been widely used in engineering fields. In its service, pin connections are subject to wear, and it will be beneficial if the health condition of pin connections can be monitored in real time. In this paper, an acoustic emission (AE)-based method was developed to monitor wear degree of low rotational speed pin connections in real time in a nondestructive way. Most pin connections are operated at low rotational speed. To facilitate the research, an experimental apparatus to accelerate the wear test of low rotational speed pin connections was designed and fabricated. The piezoceramic AE sensor was mounted on the test apparatus in a nondestructive way, and it was capable of real-time monitoring. Accelerated wear tests of low rotational speed pin connections were conducted. To verify the results of the AE technique, a VHX-600E digital (from Keyence, Osaka, Japan) microscope was applied to observe the micrographs of the tested pins. The experimental results show that AE activity existed throughout the entire wear process, and it was the most prominent in the serious wear phase. The wear degree of the pin connections can be reflected qualitatively by the signal strength and the accumulative signal strength of the AE signals. In addition, two different wear forms can be distinguished by comparing the signal strength values of all specimens. Micrographs of all specimens confirm these results, and determine that the two wear forms include adhesive wear and abrasive wear. Furthermore, AE results demonstrated that adhesive wear is the main mode of wear for the low rotational speed pin connections, and the signal strength of the adhesive wear is around 190 times larger than that of abrasive wear. This feasibility study demonstrated that the developed acoustic emission technique can be utilized in the wear monitoring of pin connections in real time in a nondestructive way.

Damage Detection of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tube (CFSST) Column Joints under Cyclic Loading Using Piezoceramic Transducers

Concrete-filled square steel tube column (CFSSTC) joints are the most important parts of concrete-filled steel tube frame structures. It is of great significance to study the damage of CFSSTC joints under the seismic loads. In this paper, embedded piezoceramic transducers are used to monitor the damage of core concrete of CFSSTC joints under cyclic loading and surface-bonded piezoceramic disks are used to monitor the debonding damage of the steel tube and core concrete of two specimens. The damages of the joints under different loading levels and different loading cycles are evaluated by the received signal of the piezoceramic transducers. The experimental results show that the amplitude of the signal attenuates obviously with the appearance of damage in the joints, and the degree of attenuation increases with the development of the damage. The monitoring results from piezoceramic transducers are basically consistent with the hysteresis loops and skeleton curves of the CFSSTC joints during the cyclic loading. The effectiveness of the piezoceramic transducers are verified by the experimental results in structural health monitoring of the CFSSTC joint under cyclic loading.

A Feasibility Study on Timber Moisture Monitoring Using Piezoceramic Transducer-Enabled Active Sensing

In recent years, the piezoceramic transducer-enabled active sensing technique has been extensively applied to structural damage detection and health monitoring, in civil engineering. Being abundant and renewable, timber has been widely used as a building material in many countries. However, one of the more challenging applications of timber, in construction, is the potential damage caused by moisture. Increased moisture may cause easier warping of timber components and encourage corrosion of integrated metal members, on top of potentially causing rot and decay. However, despite numerous efforts to inspect and monitor the moisture content of timber, there lacks a method that can provide truly real time, quantitative, and non-invasive measurement of timber moisture. Thus, the research presented in this paper investigated the feasibility of moisture-content monitoring using an active sensing approach, as enabled by a pair of the Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) transducers bonded on the surface of a timber specimen. Using a pair of transducers in an active sensing scheme, one patch generated a designed stress wave, while another patch received the signal. While the active sensing was active, the moisture content of the timber specimen was gradually increased from 0% to 60% with 10% increments. The material properties of the timber correspondingly changed under varying timber moisture content, resulting in a measurable differential in stress wave attenuation rates among the different specimens used. The experimental results indicated that the received signal energy and the moisture content of the timber specimens show a parabolic relationship. Finally, the feasibility and reliability of the presented method, for monitoring timber moisture content, are discussed.