Surface crack detection and monitoring in metal structure using RFID tag

Abstract

Purpose RFID tags for sensing are available to operate and transmit sensing data to measurement equipment without battery and wires, which is a great advantage in establishing IoT environment. For crack sensing tags, however, the short service life of tags restricted their application. This paper aims to introduce a method of surface crack detection and monitoring based on RFID tag, which makes it possible for tags to be reused. Design/methodology/approach Metal plate to be monitored, acting as the ground plane of microstrip patch antenna, is underneath the crack sensing tag. The propagating surface crack in metal plate will change the electric length of tag’s antenna that is directly proportional to the crack depth and length. Thus, the deformation of sensing tag introduced by the load on metal structure is no longer a prerequisite for crack sensing. Findings The simulated and experimental results show that the proposed crack sensing tag can sense the change of surface crack with mm-resolution and sense surface crack propagation without a deformation, which means the proposed crack sensing tag can be reused. Originality/value The key advantage of the proposed method is the reusability of the RFID tags.

A Review of Radio Frequency Identification Sensing Systems for Structural Health Monitoring

“…With a circular patch antenna as a crack sensor, a linear relationship between the resonance frequency and crack parameters, i.e., depth, length, width, and cross-sectional area, has been obtained [ 8 ]. A rectangular patch antenna was developed for crack depth and length detection with mm resolution [ 9 , 68 , 69 , 70 , 71 ]. Crack localization [ 69 ] and multi-tag coupling [ 9 , 70 ] were further investigated.…”

Conformal metal crack detection sensor based on flexible graphene film antenna

“…Although the above studies have proved that the microstrip antenna sensor can detect cracks in metal structures, the detected metal structures are mainly planar structures, and the monitoring sensitivity needs to be further improved. Traditional antenna sensors are usually made of metals such as copper and aluminum 20–23 . However, the metal structures have poor flexibility and are not easy to conform to curved structures, 24 which limit their applications in crack detection of curved metal structures.…”

“…21 In 2020, Xu designed an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna to realize wireless detection of surface cracks on metal structures. 22 Although the above studies have proved that the microstrip antenna sensor can detect cracks in metal structures, the detected metal structures are mainly planar structures, and the monitoring sensitivity needs to be further improved. Traditional antenna sensors are usually made of metals such as copper and aluminum.…”

“…Traditional antenna sensors are usually made of metals such as copper and aluminum. [20][21][22][23] However, the metal structures have poor flexibility and are not easy to conform to curved structures, 24 which limit their applications in crack detection of curved metal structures. Even though it is mentioned in the reference that TE 11 wave is used to detect cracks in curved metal structures.…”

“…In the same year, Zhang proposed a configurable dielectric resonator based passive wireless sensor for crack monitorin 21 . In 2020, Xu designed an radio frequency identification (RFID) tag antenna to realize wireless detection of surface cracks on metal structures 22 . Although the above studies have proved that the microstrip antenna sensor can detect cracks in metal structures, the detected metal structures are mainly planar structures, and the monitoring sensitivity needs to be further improved.…”