Analysis and Design of a Shape Memory Alloy Actuated Arm to Replicate Human Biomechanics

Shape memory alloy actuators paired in an antagonistic arrangement can be used to produce mechanisms that replicate human biomechanics. To investigate this proposal, the biomechanical articulation of the elbow by means of the biceps brachii muscle are compared with that of a shape memory alloy actuated arm. Initially, the movement of the human arm is modeled as a single degree of freedom rocker-slider mechanism. Using this model, a purely kinematical analysis is performed on the rigid body rocker-slider. Force analysis follows by modeling the muscle as a simple linear spring. Torque, rocking angle, and energy are calculated for a range of rocker-slider geometries. Actuator characterization of the SMA wire is conducted by experimentally determining the stress-strain curves for the martensite detwinned and full austenite states. Using the experimentally obtained stress-strain curves, nonlinear and linear theoretical actuator characteristic curves are produced for the isolated SMA wire. Using the theoretical actuator characteristic curve on the rocker-slider mechanism, kinematic and force analyses are performed for both the nonlinear and linear actuated mechanisms. To compare to biomechanics, a literature survey is performed on human musculotendon and skeletal lengths and introduced to the kinematic analysis. Examination of biological and mechanical results are then discussed.

Bridge Inspection and Management System Based on Smart Phone

For the traditional inspection methods, the visual inspection data is firstly recorded on the inspection forms and then input manually into computer, which is inefficient and creates errors frequently. This research aims at establishing a smartphone-based bridge inspection and management system that can avoid such inputting errors and facilitate the bridge inspection process. The system enables the inspector to complete the inspection information collection in a portable smart phone. The site photos that related to the investigated structures can be easily added and edited during the inspection work with the help of the smart phone. After the investigation, the inspection report and the technical condition rating of the inspected bridge can be automatically generated. The collected data and the GPS information can be uploaded to the terminal server directly via the mobile network. The interface of the mobile software is user-friendly and easy operation, which provides an opportunity for the public to take part in the bridge inspection work, especially for the bridges in rural and mountainous areas. Then, this paper puts forward the relevant ideas on public participation in bridges’ emergency assessment and disposal after the disaster, which can provide data support for the decision-making and disaster relief work.

Analysis of FBG Sensors Data for Pipeline Monitoring

Pipelines for oil distribution may affect the environment when natural disasters such as landslides and earthquakes damage the infrastructures. Besides natural causes, illegal extraction of oil from the pipelines can produce significant environmental damage and sometimes loss of lives from explosions. During the spill, the fuel flow of the main stream theoretically reduces, but this variation is within the normal flow fluctuation and so it is not possible to detect this illegal activity using fuel flow measurements. Transducers based on Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors are very attractive for pipeline monitoring. In two previous works we proposed a new transducer for increasing the sensitivity of FBG sensors to detect illegal activities on the pipelines (drilling). In fact FBG sensors attached directly on the surface of the pipe are not capable to detect strain variations induced by a drill. This paper reports an update on the experimental results obtained on a real size pipeline and a theoretical study aimed to explain why a surface attached sensor does not work.

Characterization of Adaptive Magnetoelastic Metamaterials Under Applied Magnetic Fields

Whether serving as mounts, isolators, or dampers, elastomer-based supports are common solutions to inhibit the transmission of waves and vibrations through engineered systems and therefore help to alleviate concerns of radiated noise from structural surfaces. The static and dynamic properties of elastomers govern the operational conditions over which the elastomers and host structures provide effective performance. Passive-adaptive tuning of properties can therefore broaden the useful working range of the material, making the system more robust to varying excitations and loads. While elastomer-based metamaterials are shown to adapt properties by many orders of magnitude according to the collapse of internal void architectures, researchers have not elucidated means to control these instability mechanisms such that they may be leveraged for on-demand tuning of static and dynamic properties. In addition, while magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) exhibit valuable performance-tuning control due to their intrinsic magnetic-elastic coupling, particularly with anisotropic magnetic particle alignment, the extent of their properties adaptation is not substantial when compared to metamaterials. Past studies have not identified means to apply anisotropic MREs in engineered metamaterials to activate the collapse mechanisms for tuning purposes. To address this limited understanding and effect significant performance adaptation in elastomer supports for structural vibration and noise control applications, this research explores a new concept for magnetoelastic metamaterials (MM) that leverage strategic magnetic particle alignment for unprecedented tunability of performance and functionality using non-contact actuation. MM specimens are fabricated using interrelated internal void topologies, with and without anisotropic MRE materials. Experimental characterization of stiffness, hysteretic loss, and dynamic force transmissibility assess the impact of the design variables upon performance metrics. For example, it is discovered that the mechanical properties may undergo significant adaptation, including two orders of magnitude change in mechanical power transmitted through an MM, according to the introduction of a 3 T free space external magnetic field. In addition, the variable collapse of the internal architectures is seen to tune static stiffness from finite to nearly vanishing values, while the dynamic stiffness shows as much as 50% change due to the collapsing architecture topology. Thus, strategically harnessing the internal architecture alongside magnetoelastic coupling is found to introduce a versatile means to tune the properties of the MM to achieve desired system performance across a broad range of working conditions. These results verify the research hypothesis and indicate that, when effectively leveraged, magnetoelastic metamaterials introduce remarkably versatile performance for engineering applications of vibration and noise control.

Feasibility Study for Vision-Based Cable Force Measurement Using Smartphone

An accurate cable force measurement is one of very important practical problems during construction period as well as during service period of cable stayed bridge. In the recent years, with the advances in smartphone technologies, it is possible to rapidly evaluate structural health status and postevent damage using ubiquitous smartphones. In this paper, a novel vision-based cable force measurement method using smartphone camera is proposed for the first time, which enable to estimate cable force by recognizing cable vibration using smartphone camera, and then cable model test is carried out to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. The comparison test between the smartphone application Orion-CC measuring cable force from smartphone built-in accelerometer and the proposed method is conducted on a laboratory scale cable model with different sampling rates. In the proposed method, the vibration responses of cable are obtained by monitoring displacements of a preprinted black circular target attached on the cable model using smartphone camera. The test results showed satisfactory agreements between two methods in both frequency domain and cable force value, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed cable force measurement method and its advantages such as convenience, ease of operation, and speediness.

Modeling Nanocomposite Piezoresistive Response With Electromechanical Cohesive Zone Material Point Method

In the current work, the Material Point Method (MPM) is extended to allow for interfacial discontinuities in problems with composite materials using cohesive zone (CZ) techniques. The proposed CZMPM is observed to result in smaller errors in the primary and secondary field variables, especially near the interface, for a given boundary value problem in comparison to the traditional MPM solution. The proposed CZMPM is used to solve an electromechanical test problem with a single fiber in the matrix medium. It is observed that the proposed CZMPM results in smaller local and volume averaged errors. The CZMPM is further used to evaluate the effective piezoresistive response of the nanoscale carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer composite with electron hopping in between the nanotubes. The observed effective piezoresistive response exhibits features similar to those reported in the literature using finite element techniques for small strains. However, CZMPM allows for large deformations of the nanoscale representative volume element as presented in the current work.

Public Participatory Integrity Monitoring of the Great Wall Based on Smart Phones

Some of The Great Wall relics are destroyed or even disappeared. The existing studies relied on field surveys are costly and time consuming. So a new cloud monitoring system based on smart phones is proposed. The system, which consists of three modules, image acquisition, questionnaire and real-time location, can realize rapid acquisition of information. Firstly, using smart phones, some photos of the Great Wall can be obtained. Then, the typical integrity damage information and location information can be obtained, including structure crack, human-caused destruction, the vegetation growth, etc. Secondly, analyzing the typical integrity damage information, the evaluation results are obtained. Then, the Great Wall information in the form of questionnaire is posted on the Great Wall integrity monitoring system. Mobile phone users who logged in the system can upload photos, and fill in the questionnaires. Through taking pictures and filling in the questionnaires, the required information can be obtained.

Conformal Growth of Textured Barium Titanate Films on Patterned Silicon Wafer

This work presents a fabrication process for the conformal growth of vertically aligned BaTiO3 films on 3-dimensionally patterned silicon waters. The conformal growth is performed through a two-step hydrothermal reaction that enables the direct growth of piezoelectric films on nonplanar architectures while utilizing relatively low synthesis temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to show the controllable conversion of TiO2 nanowires to BaTiO3 films and x-ray diffraction (XRD) is used to validate the crystal structures. Tested by a refined piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) method, the conformal films exhibited a piezoelectric coupling coefficient as high as 100 pm/V. With superior piezoelectric properties and the capability to grow on design specific surfaces, the BaTiO3 conformal films demonstrate high potential for sensors, random access memory, and other micro-electromechanical systems.

Carbon Fiber Composite Beam Damage Model Identification

The technique of model-based identification is proposed to extract a model for damage in composite materials from experimental data. The proposed method is demonstrated on a unidirectional carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) beam. Impact damage is seeded in the CFRP beam using a spherical punch, causing localized damage. The specimen is evaluated through modal testing before and after the damage is seeded, with the healthy case modeled using the FEM. Finally, a virtual controller is found which eliminates error in response between the healthy model and damaged experimental system. The virtual controller, being in feedback with the healthy model at the FE node where the damage occurs, reflects the effect of the localized damage. It is found that the seeded impact damage reduces stiffness and is a source of damping inside the composite beam. Interpretation of the local damage is made through the curve fitting of the identified dynamics. To confirm the efficacy of the fit, a closed-loop is made with the healthy model which is then compared to the data from the damaged system.

Dielectric Properties of Dielectrophoretically Aligned ZnO-PDMS Composites

ZnO based polymer composite materials are of great interest because of their excellent electrical, optical, semiconductor and biocompatible properties. In this study, we synthesize anisotropic composites of aligned ZnO rods in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer and study their dielectric properties as a function of applied electric field and frequency. Submicron ZnO rods are synthesized using an inexpensive, high yield chemical route. Washed and purified ZnO rods are then aligned in uncured PDMS at different electric field and frequency. We find that under electric field, ZnO rotates with their long axis in the direction of the electric field and before coalescing form chains in the silicone elastomer. From the optical microscopy images and in situ dielectric measurements, the best alignment parameters are found at 4 kV/mm and 10 kHz. These conditions are then selected to prepare aligned ZnO-PDMS composites. Complete curing of composites is confirmed using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Our results show that aligned ZnO in uncured PDMS exhibit higher dielectric permittivity compared to random dispersion with the same composition. For the cured ZnO-PDMS composites, dielectric permittivity increases by 80% compared to random composites.