Quantitative health monitoring of bolted joints using piezoceramic actuator-sensor

Abstract

A non-destructive evaluation technique using piezoceramic (PZT) as an actuator-sensor has an ability to efficiently detect structural damage. In this technique, a PZT actuator-sensor patch is bonded on a structure. Through the measurement of its electrical impedance, which is related to mechanical impedance of the structure being bonded, the change in structure properties due to damage can be detected. This paper presents the use of PZT in structural health monitoring to quantitatively detect damage of bolted joints. The structure used in this study consists of two aluminum beams connected by a bolted joint. The damage is simulated by loosening of the bolts. To quantitatively monitor the damage, a numerical model of the structure is formulated. Spectral element method (SEM) based on wave propagation approach is used to model the structure. A bonded-PZT beam and a bolted joint element are developed by using SEM. The equations of motion are derived by using Hamilton's principle subsequently, the spectral element matrices are formulated. Experimental results show the ability of this method to detect the damage. By using the proposed model, the loosening of bolts can be quantitatively identified as the change in stiffness and damping at the bolted joint. Therefore, this method has high potential to quantitatively monitor damage of bolted joints.

Bolt loosening detection based on audio classification

“…The bolt loosening detection is essentially the detection and identification of the remaining amount of pretension force. In view of the different detection methods for the remaining amount of pretension force, the existing detection methods are divided into the detection method based on structural vibration signal (Guarino and Hamilton, 2014), the detection method based on the acoustic emission signal (Ding et al, 2014; Liang and Yuan, 2015; Ritdumrongkul et al, 2003; Yang and Chang, 2006), the detection method based on image recognition, and the detection method based on bolt angle and elongation (Cha et al, 2016; Park et al, 2015a, 2015b; Wu et al, 2016). The structural vibration signals mainly depend on the vibration characteristics of the structure.…”

Monitoring of pin connection loosening using eletromechanical impedance: Numerical simulation with experimental verification

“…Subsequently, many experimental efforts employing the EMI method for SHM have been executed in various engineering fields (An et al, 2012; Baptista et al, 2014; Wang et al, 2016; Zhang et al, 2016), including civil, medical, mechanical, and aerospace. The EMI technique has been used in various structures in monitoring damage (Lee et al, 2014; Park et al, 2001), crack (Park et al, 2006, 2010; Wang et al, 2017), hydration (Chung and Kharkovsky, 2014; Kong et al, 2013; Yang et al, 2010), corrosion (Talakokula et al, 2014), fatigue (Annamdas et al, 2014; Giurgiutiu et al, 2006), and joints (Ritdumrongkul et al, 2004), both in laboratory and preliminary practical applications. To overcome the requirement of expensive equipment, several researchers have concentrated on lowering the required cost for conducting the EMI technique (Peairs et al, 2004).…”

Anomaly detection and prediction of high‐tension bolts by using strain of tower shell

“…Various condition monitoring systems for the bearing and gearbox of wind turbine have been developed, however, that for the bolt of tower has never been studied 4 . Several methods have been developed to detect the bolt anomaly, such as the torque wrench, 2 the resistance strain gauge measurement, 5,6 the structural modal method, 7 the vibration and impedance response method, 8 and the ultrasonic guided wave method 9 . At Taikoyama wind farm, the ultrasonic inspection and the axial bolt force inspection with the torque wrench are performed every month and every 3 months, respectively, for the 60 bolts per one turbine, which takes much time and cost.…”