Toward Smart Aerospace Structures: Design of a Piezoelectric Sensor and Its Analog Interface for Flaw Detection

Low strain pile integrity testing (LSPIT), due to its simplicity and low cost, is one of the most popular NDE methods used in pile foundation construction. While performing LSPIT in the field is generally quite simple and quick, determining the integrity of the test piles by analyzing and interpreting the test signals (reflectograms) is still a manual process performed by experienced experts only. For foundation construction sites where the number of piles to be tested is large, it may take days before the expert can complete interpreting all of the piles and delivering the integrity assessment report. Techniques that can automate test signal interpretation, thus shortening the LSPIT’s turnaround time, are of great business value and are in great need. Motivated by this need, in this paper, we develop a computer-aided reflectogram interpretation (CARI) methodology that can interpret a large number of LSPIT signals quickly and consistently. The methodology, built on advanced signal processing and machine learning technologies, can be used to assist the experts in performing both qualitative and quantitative interpretation of LSPIT signals. Specifically, the methodology can ease experts’ interpretation burden by screening all test piles quickly and identifying a small number of suspected piles for experts to perform manual, in-depth interpretation. We demonstrate the methodology’s effectiveness using the LSPIT signals collected from a number of real-world pile construction sites. The proposed methodology can potentially enhance LSPIT and make it even more efficient and effective in quality control of deep foundation construction.

Section: Proposed Methodologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards Intelligent Interpretation of Low Strain Pile Integrity Testing Results Using Machine Learning Techniques

Cui

Yan

Wang

et al. 2017

“…Boukabache et al [ 10 ] studied the application of piezoelectric sensor-actuators in nondestructive testing of aerospace equipment. Zhang et al [ 11 ] utilized the piezoelectric effect to expound a piezoelectric bimorph pump using discrete categories of piezoelectric ceramic as pistons to control the liquid flow while sensing the difference between internal and external pressure.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Dynamic Hysteresis Model and Nonlinear Control System for a Structure-Integrated Piezoelectric Sensor-Actuator

Shan

Song

Cao

et al. 2021

The piezoelectric sensor-actuator plays an important role in micro high-precision dynamic systems such as medical robots and micro grippers. These mechanisms need high-precision position control, while the size of the sensor and actuator should be as small as possible. For this paper, we designed and manufactured a structure-integrated piezoelectric sensor-actuator and proposed its PID (Proportion Integral Differential) control system based on the dynamic hysteresis nonlinear model and the inverse model. Through simplifying the structure of the piezoelectric sensor-actuator by the centralized parameter method, this paper establishes its dynamic model and explores the input–output transfer function by taking the relationship between the output force and displacement as the medium. The experiment shows the maximum distance of the hysteresis curve is 0.26 μm. By parsing the hysteresis curve, this paper presents a dynamic hysteresis nonlinear model and its inverse model based on a 0.5 Hz quasi-static model and linear transfer function. Simulation results show that the accuracy of the static model is higher than that of the dynamic model when the frequency is 0.5 Hz, but the compensation accuracy of the dynamic model is obviously better than that of the static model with the increase of the frequency. This paper also proposes a control system for the sensor-actuator by means of the inverse model. The simulation results indicate that the output root mean square error was reduced to one-quarter of the original, which proves that the structure-integrated piezoelectric sensor-actuator and its control system have a great significance for signal sensing and output control of micro high-precision dynamic systems.

“…Furthermore, UGWT technology is low cost, has low impact on structures, and the systems are low weighted. As a result, this technique shows a promising future in the aeronautical industry, where many thin-walled structures made of CFRP are used [ 10 ] and the optimal maintenance of structures is fundamental.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrasonic Guided Wave Testing on Cross-Ply Composite Laminate: An Empirical Study

Aranguren

Etxaniz

Cantero‐Chinchilla

et al. 2020

Structural health monitoring comprises a set of techniques to detect defects appearing in structures. One of the most viable techniques is based on the guided ultrasonic wave test (UGWT), which consists of emitting waves throughout the structure, acquiring the emitted waves with various sensors, and processing the waves to detect changes in the structure. The UGWT of layered composite structures is challenging due to the anisotropic wave propagation characteristics of such structures and to the high signal attenuation that the waves experience. Hence, very low amplitude signals that are hard to distinguish from noise are typically recovered. This paper analyzes the propagation of guided waves along a cross-ply composite laminate following an empirical methodology. The research compares several implementations for UGWT with piezoelectric wafer active sensors. The reference for comparison is set on a basic mode, which considers the application of nominal voltage to a single sensor. The attenuation and spreading of the waves in several directions are compared when more energy is applied to the monitored structure. In addition, delayed multiple emission is also considered in multisensor tests. The goal of all the UGWT configurations is to transmit more energy to the structure such that the echoes of the emission are of greater amplitude and they ease the signal processing. The study is focused on the realization of viable monitoring systems for aeronautical composite made structures.