Numerical simulation and experimental validation of a large-area capacitive strain sensor for fatigue crack monitoring

Kong, Xiangxiong; Li, Jian; Bennett, Caroline; Collins, William; Laflamme, Simon

doi:10.1088/0957-0233/27/12/124009

Cited by 27 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…The most commonly used strain sensor is the resistive type strain gauges that convert strain deformation into resistance change of the gauge; which are low-cost, accurate, and easy to integrate with existing wireless platform. However, it has several limitations for practical applications due to the small sizes and fragility induced by rigid material composition [4][5][6] . When the strain gauge is used for concrete structures, non-homogeneous material features cause measurement errors in global displacement reconstruction and lack of flexibility causes easy failure along the crack growth 7 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When the strain gauge is used for concrete structures, non-homogeneous material features cause measurement errors in global displacement reconstruction and lack of flexibility causes easy failure along the crack growth 7 . For fatigue monitoring of steel structures, huge numbers of strain gauges in dense array are required to cover large area of potential, but unknown, fatigue crack location for effective monitoring; which is not so practical 4,5 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to measure large area strain accurately, several types of sensors have been developed and studied, such as fiber optic strain sensor, resistive sensor sheet, and carbon nanotube-based sensor sensor has been developed for meso-scale strain sensing application. The SEC is a capacitance-based strain sensor that has various features suitable to the SHM applications; which are low-cost, various size manufacturability, durability, and extended linearity up to 20% elongation [4][5][6]11,12 . Recent researches utilized the SEC to demonstrate the potential for various SHM applications, including steel structure fatigue crack detection, large-scale structure sensing in static/dynamic strain responses 4,5,12,13 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The SEC is a capacitance-based strain sensor that has various features suitable to the SHM applications; which are low-cost, various size manufacturability, durability, and extended linearity up to 20% elongation [4][5][6]11,12 . Recent researches utilized the SEC to demonstrate the potential for various SHM applications, including steel structure fatigue crack detection, large-scale structure sensing in static/dynamic strain responses 4,5,12,13 . While, high-sensitivity acceleration and strain sensors for WSSN have been developed and demonstrated 2,3 , the capacitance based wireless strain sensor has not been developed yet.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Capacitance-based wireless strain sensor development

Jeong

et al. 2018

Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2018

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A capacitance based large-area electronics strain sensor, termed soft elastomeric capacitor (SEC) has shown various advantages in infrastructure sensing. The ability to cover large area enables to reflect mesoscale structural deformation, highly stretchable, easy to fabricate and low-cost feature allow full-scale field application for civil structure. As continuing efforts to realize full-scale civil infrastructure monitoring, in this study, new sensor board has been developed to implement the capacitive strain sensing capability into wireless sensor networks. The SEC has extremely low-level capacitance changes as responses to structural deformation; hence it requires high-gain and low-noise performance. For these requirements, AC (alternating current) based Wheatstone bridge circuit has been developed in combination a bridge balancer, two-step amplifiers, AM-demodulation, and series of filtering circuits to convert low-level capacitance changes to readable analog voltages. The new sensor board has been designed to work with the wireless platform that uses Illinois Structural Health Monitoring Project (ISHMP) wireless sensing software Toolsuite and allow 16bit lownoise data acquisition. ABSTRACTA capacitance based large-area electronics strain sensor, termed soft elastomeric capacitor (SEC) has shown various advantages in infrastructure sensing. The ability to cover large area enables to reflect mesoscale structural deformation, highly stretchable, easy to fabricate and low-cost feature allow full-scale field application for civil structure. As continuing efforts to realize full-scale civil infrastructure monitoring, in this study, new sensor board has been developed to implement the capacitive strain sensing capability into wireless sensor networks. The SEC has extremely low-level capacitance changes as responses to structural deformation; hence it requires high-gain and low-noise performance. For these requirements, AC (alternating current) based Wheatstone bridge circuit has been developed in combination a bridge balancer, two-step amplifiers, AM-demodulation, and series of filtering circuits to convert low-level capacitance changes to readable analog voltages. The new sensor board has been designed to work with the wireless platform that uses Illinois Structural Health Monitoring Project (ISHMP) wireless sensing software Toolsuite and allow 16bit lownoise data acquisition. The performances of new wireless capacitive strain sensor have been validated series of laboratory calibration tests. An example application for fatigue crack monitoring is also presented.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Capacitance-based wireless strain sensor development

Jeong

et al. 2018

Sensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2018

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“…The SEC is customizable in shape and size, 17 and its static 18 and dynamic behaviors 5,19 have been characterized, including damage detection applications in wind turbine blades. 20 Its capability to detect fatigue cracks 21 and localize them within a DSN configuration 22 has been demonstrated.…”

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confidence: 99%

Experimental damage detection of wind turbine blade using thin film sensor array

et al. 2017

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Damage detection of wind turbine blades is difficult due to their large sizes and complex geometries. Additionally, economic restraints limit the viability of high-cost monitoring methods. While it is possible to monitor certain global signatures through modal analysis, obtaining useful measurements over a blade's surface using off-the-shelf sensing technologies is difficult and typically not economical. A solution is to deploy dedicated sensor networks fabricated from inexpensive materials and electronics. The authors have recently developed a novel large-area electronic sensor measuring strain over very large surfaces. The sensing system is analogous to a biological skin, where local strain can be monitored over a global area. In this paper, we propose the utilization of a hybrid dense sensor network of soft elastomeric capacitors to detect, localize, and quantify damage, and resistive strain gauges to augment such dense sensor network with high accuracy data at key locations. The proposed hybrid dense sensor network is installed inside a wind turbine blade model and tested in a wind tunnel to simulate an operational environment. Damage in the form of changing boundary conditions is introduced into the monitored section of the blade. Results demonstrate the ability of the hybrid dense sensor network, and associated algorithms, to detect, localize, and quantify damage. Damage detection of wind turbine blades is difficult due to their large sizes and complex geometries. Additionally, economic restraints limit the viability of high-cost monitoring methods. While it is possible to monitor certain global signatures through modal analysis, obtaining useful measurements over a blade's surface using off-the-shelf sensing technologies is difficult and typically not economical. A solution is to deploy dedicated sensor networks fabricated from inexpensive materials and electronics. The authors have recently developed a novel large-area electronic sensor measuring strain over very large surfaces. The sensing system is analogous to a biological skin, where local strain can be monitored over a global area. In this paper, we propose the utilization of a hybrid dense sensor network of soft elastomeric capacitors to detect, localize, and quantify damage, and resistive strain gauges to augment such dense sensor network with high accuracy data at key locations. The proposed hybrid dense sensor network is installed inside a wind turbine blade model and tested in a wind tunnel to simulate an operational environment. Damage in the form of changing boundary conditions is introduced into the monitored section of the blade. Results demonstrate the ability of the hybrid dense sensor network, and associated algorithms, to detect, localize, and quantify damage.

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Vision-based fatigue crack detection using global motion compensation and video feature tracking

Mojidra

Mohammadkhorasani

et al. 2023

Earthq. Eng. Eng. Vib.

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Numerical simulation and experimental validation of a large-area capacitive strain sensor for fatigue crack monitoring

Cited by 27 publications

References 26 publications

Capacitance-based wireless strain sensor development

Capacitance-based wireless strain sensor development

Experimental damage detection of wind turbine blade using thin film sensor array

Vision-based fatigue crack detection using global motion compensation and video feature tracking

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