Synthetic Jet Actuators (SJA) are micro fluidic devices with low power and high compactness. They are used for different applications that require a directed air flow. These kind of fluidic generators require zero mass input and produces non-zero momentum output. The classic design of such an actuator consists of a membrane located on one wall of a small cavity and an orifice that is typically on the opposite side of the membrane. In the new SJA concept a Helmholtz resonator is equipped with two transducers to increase the performance of the actuator. The piezoelectric membranes generate the volumetric flow symmetrically from both sides of the chamber. A common outlet connects them to the acoustic far field. A network model [1] was used for designing and optimizing the SJA. Based on this, a doublewall actuator (DWSJA) was developed. The simulation results show that using two transducers does not fully redouble the exit velocity [2], but it still shows major improvement in comparison to conventional SJA with single transducers.

Synthetic ynthetic jet actuators are attractive devices for active flow control because, in contrast to many other actuators, they do not require a pressurized air source. Instead, they cyclically ingest and expel air from the external flow that is being controlled. To accomplish this, a piston or diaphragm is used compress and expand the volume of the actuator cavity. Various approaches to compress and expand the volume of the cavity have been explored including: speaker drivers,1 mechanical pistons2 and piezoelectric diaphragms.

Active Flow Control (AFC) is an emerging technology which promises performance enhancements to both military and civilian aircraft. A technique which uses energy input at discrete locations to manipulate the flow over an aerodynamic surface, AFC may be used to reduce drag, prevent flow separation, and enable otherwise-infeasible aerodynamic designs. Additional applications include shear layer and turbulence control for aero-optics applications and mixing enhancement for thermal applications. Many AFC applications call for a high frequency fluidic perturbation provided by an electrically-powered actuator. In these instances, piezoelectric (PZT) materials have served as the workhorse for flow control actuators, such as the widely-studied synthetic jet. Because the PZT materials form the critical component of the actuator, the maximum performance of the synthetic jet (velocity and momentum output) is limited by the physical limitations of the PZT material. The purpose of this presentation is to provide a high level overview of AFC actuators and applications in an attempt to engage the smart materials community and encourage advanced material development in support of these crucial applications.

The purpose of this study is to understand and improve the interfacial shear strength of metal matrix composites fabricated via very high power (VHP) ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM). VHP-UAM NiTi-Al composites have shown a dramatic decrease in thermal expansion compared to Al, yet thermal blocking stresses developed during thermal cycling have been found to degrade and eventually cause interface failure. Consequently, to improve understanding of the interface and guide the development of stronger NiTi- Al composites, the interface strength was investigated through the use of single ber pullout tests. It was found that the matrix yielded prior to the interface breaking since adhered aluminum was consistently observed on all pullout samples. Additionally, measured pullout loads were utilized as an input to a nite element model for stress and shear lag analysis, which, in turn showed that the Al matrix experienced a peak shear stress near 230 MPa. This stress is above the Al matrix's ultimate shear strength of 150-200 MPa, thus this large stress corroborates with matrix failure observed during testing. The in uence of various ber surface treatments on bond mechanisms was also studied with scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

This paper investigates the use of Galfenol (FeGa) composite beams as solid-state, adaptive vibration absorbers that have an electrically-tunable sti ness. The study encompasses the manufacture of these structures by ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) and the formulation of a continuous model for the beams' bending vibrations. The beams' 1st and 3rd resonant frequencies are calculated as a function of base acceleration, Galfenol volume fraction, and DC magnetic eld. The e ects of an axial force, viscoelastic material damping, beam nonuniformity, and Galfenol's nonlinear behavior are incorporated. Autoresonant feedback control is used as a numerical technique to maintain the resonant state under changes in the inputs. The model is validated by comparing (1) calculated and analytical frequency responses and (2) calculated and measured resonant frequencies and modes shapes of a Galfenol/Al 6061 composite beam that was manufactured using UAM. The modeling results show that by varying the DC magnetic eld, the resonant frequency can be tuned between 3 % and 51 % for Galfenol/Al 6061 composites containing from 10 % to 100 % Galfenol by volume, respectively. The magnitude of this change will increase for composites that have a softer matrix. The axial force was found to have only a small e ect on the maximum resonant frequency tunability, but, for high Galfenol volume fractions, was also found to broaden the region over which tuning can occur.

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a recent solid state manufacturing process that combines ad- ditive joining of thin metal tapes with subtractive milling operations to generate near net shape metallic parts. Due to the minimal heating during the process, UAM is a proven method of embedding Ni-Ti, Fe-Ga, and PVDF to create active metal matrix composites. Recently, advances in the UAM process utilizing 9 kW very high power (VHP) welding has improved bonding properties, enabling joining of high strength materials previously unweldable with 1 kW low power UAM. Consequently, a design of experiments study was conducted to optimize welding conditions for aluminum 6061 components. This understanding is critical in the design of UAM parts containing smart materials. Build parameters, including weld force, weld speed, amplitude, and temperature were varied based on a Taguchi experimental design matrix and tested for me- chanical strength. Optimal weld parameters were identi ed with statistical methods including a generalized linear model for analysis of variance (ANOVA), mean e ects plots, and interaction e ects plots.

The U.S. Armament Research development Center (ARDEC) and the Army Research Laboratories in Adelphi, Maryland, and their small business collaborator (Omnitek Partners, LLC) have been developing alternatives to current reserve batteries for certain munitions applications. It is shown that using a novel passive method, efficiency of over 70 percent could be achieved in the transfer of generated electrical charges to appropriate selected storage mediums. The paper also describes the development of test-beds to simulate electrical charge generation of the energy harvesting power sources during the firing and the flight for use in the design and evaluation of the collection electronics.

The Lead Zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic is known by its piezoelectric feature, but also by its stiffness, the use of a composite based on a polyurethane (PU) matrix charged by a piezoelectric material, enable to generate a large deformation of the material, therefore harvesting more energy. This new material will provide a competitive alternative and low cost manufacturing technology of autonomous systems (smart clothes, car seat, boat sail, flag ...). A thin film of the PZT/PU composite was prepared using up to 80 vol. % of ceramic. Due to the dielectric nature of the PZT, inclusions of this one in a PU matrix raises the permittivity of the composite, on other hand this latter seems to decline at high frequencies.

This article presents an analytical model for piezoelectrically-assisted ultrasonic friction and wear reduction. A cube is employed to represent the asperities in contact between two surfaces. Dynamic friction is considered as the sum of two friction components that depend on deformation of the cube and relative velocity. Ultrasonic vibrations change the geometry, contact stiffness, and deformation of the cube, as well as the relative velocity, which leads to a reduction in the effective dynamic friction. Volume loss of surface wear is explained by the integral of half of the cube volume over the time duration of the sliding. Change of the cube geometry caused by ultrasonic vibrations results in a change of the cube volume. A piezoelectrically-assisted tribometer was designed and built for pin-on-disc friction and wear tests. The experimental measurements validate the model for ultrasonic friction reduction at various macroscopic sliding velocities, and for ultrasonic wear reduction at various sliding distances with most errors less than 10%.

The present work addresses the optimal design of a morphing mechanism based on compliant structures used to implement the active camber morphing concept. The subject of the work is part of the FP7-NOVEMOR project (Novel Air Vehicle Configurations: From Fluttering Wings to Morphing Flight) which is one of the many projects from the seventh European Framework Programme. The implementation of active camber concept is based on the use of conformable morphing control surfaces. Aiming at the optimal design of such as morphing devices, two dedicated tools called PHORMA and SPHERA, respectively, are introduced. The definition of the optimal shape taking into account both aerodynamic and structural constraints is done by PHORMA. Then SPHERA, based on the load path approach codified by coupling a non linear beam solver to a genetic multi– objective optimizer, is adopted to generate the optimal internal structure able to produce, when loaded, the target optimal shape. The paper is mainly focused on the optimal design of the compliant structures starting from the optimal shape already available for a Reference Aircraft (RA) developed inside NOVEMOR project and representative of a typical regional jet capable to carry 113 PAX in a single economic class.

This study reports on signal recovery of optical fiber Bragg gratings embedded in a carbon fiber composite overwrapped pressure vessel's (COPV) structure which have become chirped due to microcracks. COPVs are commonly used for the storage of high pressure liquids and gases. They utilize a thin metal liner to seal in contents, with a composite overwrap to strengthen the vessel with minimal additional mass. A COPV was instrumented with an array of surface mounted and embedded fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for structural health monitoring (SHM) via strain sensing of the material. FBGs have been studied as strain sensors for the last couple decades. Many of the embedded FBGs reflected a multi-peak, chirped response which was not able to be interpreted well by the current monitoring algorithm. Literature and this study found that the chirping correlated with microcracks. As loading increases, so does the number of chirped FBGs and microcracks. This study uses optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) to demultiplex the array of FBGs, and then sub- divide individual FBGs. When a FBG is sub-divided using OFDR, the gratings' strain along its length is recovered. The sub-divided chirped FBGs have strain gradients along their length from microcracks. Applying this to all chirped gratings, nearly the entirety of the embedded sensors' readings can be recovered into a series of single peak responses, which show very large local strains throughout the structure. This study reports on this success in recovering embedded FBGs signal, and the strain gradient from microcracks.

The increased use of composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) in space and commercial applications, and the explosive nature of pressure vessel ruptures, make it crucial to develop techniques for early condition based damage detection. The need for a robust health monitoring system for COPVs is a high priority since the mechanisms of stress rupture are not fully understood. Embedded Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors have been proposed as a potential solution that may be utilized to anticipate and potentially avoid catastrophic failures. The small size and light weight of optical fibers enable manufactures to integrate FBGs directly into composite structures for the purpose of structural health monitoring. A challenging aspect of embedding FBGs within composite structures is the risk of potentially impinging the optical fiber while the structure is under load, thus distorting the optical information to be transferred. As the COPV is pressurized, an embedded optical sensor is compressed between the expansion of the inner bottle, and the outer overwrap layer of composite. In this study, FBGs are installed on the outer surface of a COPV bottle as well as embedded underneath a composite overwrap layer for comparison of strain measurements. Experimental data is collected from optical fibers containing multiple FBGs during incremental pressurization cycles, ranging from 0 to 10,000 psi. The graphical representations of high density strain maps provide a more efficient process of monitoring structural integrity. Preliminary results capture the complex distribution of strain, while furthering the understanding of the failure mechanisms of COPVs.

While the use of SMA-actuated devices continues to grow in many industries, current device limitations pose a challenge to successful adoption for certain classes of applications. SMA-actuated devices typically demonstrate motion with non-constant velocity due to the non-linear thermo-mechanically coupled behavior of SMA material transformation, and motion sensitivity to external factors such as voltage and load. This variation in motion can lead to the perception of poor device quality, limiting SMA-actuated devices to applications hidden from the sight of the product user, or requiring them to be augmented with higher cost controls to improve the motion quality. Therefore, a need exists for simple, passive, low-cost device technologies that enable the designer to prescribe desired motion characteristics with relative insensitivity to fluctuation in operating conditions. This paper presents a Damper Controlled Switch (DCS) mechanism that delivers constant velocity and relative insensitivity to operating conditions when combined with a standard SMA wire actuator. The DCS includes a damper that acts against a spring to open a switch when the velocity exceeds a tunable threshold. To validate the ability of the DCS to provide the desired motion quality, experiments were conducted comparing the normal motion of the SMA actuator to the motion produced when the same actuator was fitted with a DCS prototype. The addition of the DCS produced nearly constant actuator velocity, performing significantly better than the SMA actuator alone. The tunability of the DCS was demonstrated producing a wide range of attainable constant velocities. Finally, a set of experiments explored the DCS’s sensitivity to voltage and load, indicating a low sensitivity to a wide range of operating parameters for which the operating limits were identified. The DCS represents a simple, compact technology based on passive, low-cost components, providing a very practical solution that will enable integration of SMA-actuated devices into a broader class of applications.

It is well known that in design of traditional magneto-rheological brake (MRB), coils are placed on the cylindrical housing of the brake. In this study, a new configuration of MR brake with coils placed on the side housings of the brake is proposed and analyzed. After briefly explaining the operating principle of the proposed configuration, the braking torque of the MR brake is analyze based on Bingham-plastic rheological model of MR fluid. The optimization of the proposed and conventional MR brakes is then performed considering maximum braking torque and mass of the brake. Based on the optimal results, a comparison between the proposed MR brakes and the conventional ones is undertaken. In addition, experimental test of the MR brakes is conducted and the results are presented in order to validate the performance characteristics of the proposed MR brake.

The present work considers with the optimal placement of piezoelectric actuators on a thin plate via modified control matrix and singular value decomposition (MCSVD) approach using Modified Heuristic Genetic Algorithm (MHGA). Optimal placement of piezoelectric actuators is investigated to suppress the first six modes on cantilever plate. Vibration suppression has been studied for cantilever plate with piezoelectric patches in optimal positions using LQR (Linear Quadratic regulator) scheme. It is observed that developed present approach has given the greater closed loop damping ratio and lesser computational requirements.

During the last decades, the use of optical fiber for sensing applications has gained increasing acceptance because of its unique properties of being intrinsically safe, unsusceptible to EMI, potentially lightweight and having a large operational temperature range. Among the different Fiber Optic sensor types, Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) is most widely used for its unique multiplexing potential and the possibility of embedding in composite material for Structural Health Monitoring. When the fiber is embedded in an inhomogeneous environment, typically a material composed of filler and base material of different stiffness, local stiff material will generate extra lateral load to the fiber. Via the Poisson effect, this will be converted to a local axial strain. The narrow and sharp peak in the reflection spectrum of an FBG sensor relies on the constant periodicity of the grating. An inhomogeneous axial strain distribution will result in distortion or broadening of the FBG reflection spectrum. For the FBG strain sensitivity of about 1.2pm/με, the spectral distortion can be disastrous for strain measurements. A fiber design to tackle this critical problem is presented. Finite Element Modeling is performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the solution. Modeling with different configurations has been performed to verify the influence of the design. The deformation of the core in the special fiber depends on the design. For a particular configuration, the core deformation in the axial direction is calculated to be a factor of 10 lower than that of a standard fiber. The first prototype fiber samples were drawn and the manufacturing of FBG in this special fiber using the phase mask method was demonstrated successfully.

This paper covers several projects in which the author sought to determine the extent of damage against which self repair would be effective. So far no limits have been reached beyond those of the fiber/matrix itself. Starting with repair of barely visible damage in airplane wings consisting of graphite fiber/resin matrix composites progression was next to self repair of ballistic damage to vinyl ester walls and epoxy resin walls and finally blast damage self repair of walls and then blast and ballistic damage were combined.

In a comparison of self repair in graphite composites (for airplane applications) versus epoxy and vinyl ester composites (for building structures or walls) 1 the type of damage that the fiber/matrix is prone to experience is a prime factor in determining which materials self repair well and 2 the flow of energy during damage determines what kinds of damage that can be self repaired well. 1) In brittle composites, repair was successful throughout the composite due to matrix cracking which allowed for optimum chemical flow, whereas in toughened composites that did not crack, the repair chemical flows into a few layers of the composite. 2) If the damage energy is stopped by the composite and goes laterally, it causes delamination which will be repaired; however if the damage energy goes through the composite as with a puncture, then there will be limited delamination, less chemical release and less self repair.

The question to be answered in this paper is how “does a user determine if a chemical self repair system has succeeded in self repairing damage”. Three sensing methods indicated that chemical has been released into damage areas, another four methods were used to indicate that the container or encapsulator had been broken to release repair chemical, but only one method is known to indicate that the chemical reaction of the repair chemical has been accomplished. Many other methods were used to assess the structural or dynamic efficacy of the repairs. These methods of sensing of repair action are detailed with experimental data and results. The novel and ground breaking method of determining repair efficacy receives most emphasis.

Thixotropic aspects of self repairing chemicals increase strength at first impact in addition to self repairing strength in subsequent impact damage The samples with thixotropic repair chemical were compared to samples with repair chemical that is not thixotropic. The flow rate and initial impact resistance were assessed. In theory, thixotropic chemicals are thicker and stiffer upon impact, until impacted at which time they flow more effectively than non thixotropic chemicals. Samples with thixotropic additives may make the ballistic panels tougher and more shear and fatigue resistant.

This PDF file contains the front matter associated with SPIE Proceedings Volume 9059, including the Title Page, Copyright information, Table of Contents, and Conference Committee listing.