Development of a photomicroscope method for in situ damage monitoring under ultrasonic fatigue test

PurposeMechanical issues related to the information and growth of small cracks are considered to play a major role in very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) for metallic materials. Further efforts on better understanding in early stage of a crack are beneficial to estimating and preventing catastrophic damage for a long period service.Design/methodology/approachDependent on the ultrasonic loading system, a novel method of in situ photomicroscope is established to study the crack behaviors in VHCF regime.FindingsThis in situ photomicroscope method provides advantages in combination with fatigue damage monitoring at high magnification, a large number of cycles, and efficiency. Visional investigation with attached image proceeding code proves that the method has high resolution on both size and time, which permits reliable accuracy on small crack growth rate. It is observed that the crack propagation trends slower in the overall small crack stage down to the level of 10–11 m/cycle. Strain analysis relays on a real-time recording which is applied by using digital image correlation. Infrared camera recording indicates the method is also suitable for thermodynamic study while growth of damage.Originality/valueBenefiting from this method, it is more convenient and efficient to study the short crack propagation in VHCF regime.

Internal Damage Analysis of Braided Composites Embedded in Carbon Nanotube Yarn

Carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn sensors were embedded in 3D braided composites in the form of arrays to detect the internal damage of specimens and study the internal damage monitoring of the 3D braided composites. The signals collected by the sensor array of CNT yarn were preprocessed using the dynamic wavelet threshold algorithm. The exact position of the damage was calculated based on the main features of the resistance signal matrix, which was calculated using the quadratic matrix singular value. The results show that the internal damage localization of the specimens was consistent with the actual damage. The localizations in this study can provide a basis for enhancing the structural health monitoring of smart 3D braided composites.

The Influence of Different Lay-Up Parameters on the Fatigue Response of Carbon/Epoxy Laminates under Internal Multiaxial Stress States

The inherent anisotropy of composites complicates their damage response. The influence of multiaxiality, particularly in carbon-based composites, is not thoroughly understood due to obstacles related to damage monitoring during loading. In this study, the response of different carbon/epoxy laminates under fatigue is examined through dedicated in situ microscopic observations. By varying the orientation of off-axis layers, the impact of multiaxiality on the mechanical and damage response is evaluated. Furthermore, balanced and unbalanced laminates are compared, considering the limited information for the latter. The influence of the number of off-axis layers is finally assessed leading to important conclusions about optimal fatigue response. The fatigue response is evaluated in all cases considering both the mechanical properties and the damage characteristics. Significant conclusions are drawn, especially for the benefits of unbalanced laminates and the impact of shear stresses, allowing for the utilization of the obtained data as important input for the establishment of reliable fatigue damage models.

Determination of the relevant multibeam echosounder frequency to estimate the suspended sediment concentrations for environmental damage monitoring of mass movement

The problem of environmental damages in the river area can transform the morphology and threaten the ecosystem in it with one of the causes being natural factors such as suspended sediment. Retracing the medium form is fluid, the common instrument to determine the condition of the area is a sound wave-based instrument such as a multibeam echosounder. Considering the improvement of multibeam echosounder which can acquire areas using many frequencies at one time, noted as multi-frequency multibeam echosounder, now its application can reach various fields including environmental monitoring. Factors that can be considered in its practice include time efficiency, cost, and notably the accuracy of the data result. By converting the results of the acquisition into an estimate of the concentration of suspended sediment and integrating the results from several frequencies, it will be established the applicable frequency usage. It was concluded that a multibeam echosounder with a frequency of 450 kHz was recommended in a case study to determine the concentration of suspended sediment. This is supported by a correlation value of 89.18% or a very high correlation.

Smart PZT-Embedded Sensors for Impedance Monitoring in Prestressed Concrete Anchorage

This study investigates the feasibility evaluation of smart PZT-embedded sensors for impedance-based damage monitoring in prestressed concrete (PSC) anchorages. Firstly, the concept of impedance-based damage monitoring for the concrete anchorage is concisely introduced. Secondly, a prototype design of PZT-embedded rebar and aggregate (so-called smart rebar–aggregate) is chosen to sensitively acquire impedance responses-induced local structural damage in anchorage members. Thirdly, an axially loaded concrete cylinder embedded with the smart rebar–aggregate is numerically and experimentally analyzed to investigate their performances of impedance monitoring. Additionally, empirical equations are formulated to represent the relationships between measured impedance signatures and applied compressive stresses. Lastly, an experimental test on a full-scale concrete anchorage embedded with smart rebar–aggregates at various locations is performed to evaluate the feasibility of the proposed method. For a sequence of loading cases, the variation in impedance responses is quantified to evaluate the accuracy of smart rebar–aggregate sensors. The empirical equations formulated based on the axially loaded concrete cylinder are implemented to predict compressive stresses at sensor locations in the PSC anchorage.