Dynamic measurements are widely used for structural condition assessment and damage detection. A wide range of
studies are available on vibration-based detection and identification of fatigue cracks in simple and complex structures.
This research explores the application of the electromechanical impedance method and nonlinear resonance
measurements to high frequency detection of incipient fatigue damage in aluminum alloy specimens. The
electromechanical impedance method relies on the coupling between the mechanical properties of a structure and the
electrical properties of attached piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS). This coupling allows structural properties to
be inferred from the electrical impedance signature of the sensor. In this study, the electromechanical impedance method
is utilized for assessment of material deterioration under cyclic fatigue loads. Aluminum specimens were subjected to
increasing fatigue cycles at stress amplitudes below the yield point, and electromechanical impedance signatures were
taken at discrete levels of fatigue damage. Linear and nonlinear features of the impedance signatures were compared for
different damage conditions. The results show a downward frequency shift of impedance peaks with increasing fatigue
load. This frequency shift is observed before visible crack development and fracture. Nonlinear resonance tests were
applied to fatigued aluminum samples. PWAS were utilized for transmission and reception of elastic waves at increasing
amplitude levels. Variations in structural dynamic characteristics were considered for different excitation conditions and
increasing damage severity. This paper discusses damage detection capabilities of each method and provides perspectives for utilizing information on incipient damage for predicting structural performance under known operational loads.
Integrity of bolted joints is critical for successful deployment and operation of space structures. Conventional
structural qualification tests span weeks if not months and inhibit rapid launch of space systems. Recent developments
in the embedded ultrasonic acousto-elastic method offer fast diagnosis of bolted joints and opportunities for locating
the fault. However, in current acousto-elastic measurement procedures, a baseline representing the healthy condition
of the joint is necessary. To mitigate a requirement of the baseline, a new methodology based on relative amplitude
and phase measurements is developed. The approach has been validated on laboratory specimens, and modifications
were suggested for applications in realistic structures. The paper discusses principles of the baseline-free acoustoelastic
method, its practical realization, and respective advantages and disadvantages. Comparison of baseline and
baseline-free approaches is presented showing the utility of the recently proposed methodology. Fundamentals of the
acousto-elastic response were studied in experiments involving guided wave propagation in a thin plate under tension.
The results indicate a difference between acousto-elastic responses collected using sensors oriented parallel and perpendicular to the applied stress. It is suggested that this effect may be used to infer stress orientation in the sample. Practical issues related to acousto-elastic measurements in realistic complex structures are discussed, damage diagnosis algorithms are presented, and potential extensions of the acousto-elastic technique are proposed.
Embedded ultrasonics has demonstrated considerable utility in structural health monitoring of aeronautical vehicle. This
active sensing approach has been widely used to detect and monitor cracks, delaminations, and disbonds in a broad
spectrum of metallic and composite structures. However, application of the embedded ultrasonics for active sensing of
incipient damage before fracture has received limited attention. The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of
embedded ultrasonics and nonlinear acoustic signatures for monitoring pre-crack fatigue damage in aerospace structural
material. A harmonic load was applied to structural specimens in order to induce fatigue damage accumulation and
growth. Specimens of simple geometry were considered and piezoelectric active sensors were employed for generation
and reception of elastic waves. The elastic wave signatures were analyzed in the frequency domain using nonlinear
impedance and nonlinear resonance methods. A relationship between fatigue severity and linear as well as nonlinear
acoustic signatures was investigated and considered in the damage classification procedure. Practical aspects of the
active sensing of the fatigue damage before fracture were discussed and prospective avenues for future research were
suggested.
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