Investigation of crack repair using piezoelectric material under thermo-mechanical loading

Abstract

This article presents an experimental investigation of repair of a crack in a structure using piezoelectric material under thermo-mechanical loading environment. The cyclic mechanical load is applied on a plate with a straight and angular crack under uniform temperature environment. Two cases have been considered for the repair of crack under (a) mechanical loading and (b) thermo-mechanical loading environment. A piezoelectric sensor is utilized to measure voltage. The measured voltage is used to calculate the stress intensity factor in passive and active modes. The effect of a single and double piezoelectric patch in the repair of the plate is investigated. The double piezoelectric patch is found to be more effective as compared to single patch when placed symmetrically offset from the crack. An optimal value of voltage and phase difference is evaluated for most effective crack repair. Location of the piezoelectric patch is varied with respect to crack location, and best-suited position for effective crack repair is proposed. The viability of piezoelectric used for repair under thermo-mechanical loading is discussed. The active mode of repair by piezoelectric is found to be effective under thermo-mechanical loading environment.

Review of Piezoelectric Actuator Applications in Damaged Structures: Challenges and Opportunities

“…Generally, the sensor will be utilized to measure the voltage and actuator to produce the forces to reduce SIFs . Experiments were performed to determine the crack repair in a thin plate using PZT actuators . The authors show the two cases of their studies considering mechanical loading and thermos-mechanical loading conditions and determined the SIF with and without PZT for the mode I crack.…”

“… 102 Experiments were performed to determine the crack repair in a thin plate using PZT actuators. 120 The authors show the two cases of their studies considering mechanical loading and thermos-mechanical loading conditions and determined the SIF with and without PZT for the mode I crack. In most of the work, mode I crack propagation was the first choice of problem definition, and therefore Bujang et al 121 focused on mode II and mixed-mode conditions to investigate the SIF and its reduction using PZT actuators.…”