Papers by Keyword: Damage Assessment

Abstract: Structural health monitoring is receiving much attention as a means to prevent catastrophic failure in structures in operating conditions. In most cases fracture is caused by the growth of crack, which cannot be precluded in many engineering structures. Moreover, to have an accurate quantitative estimate of crack tolerance of a structure to prevent fracture of load bearing components, an effective non-destructive evaluation procedure becomes necessary to monitor the structure under working conditions.

Abstract: Current technology provides means of fabrication of spherical micro-particles, either hollow or compact, for all engineering materials. Such spherical particles can be further embedded into another material to build-up either random dispersions or close-packed arrays, according to the production route and the degree of anisotropy intended for the ultimate composite material. In this study, a simple analytical formula for the composite stiffness is derived from an early micromechanics model, to describe the actual reinforcement of ductile matrices by a random dispersion of uniform spherical ceramic particles. Predictions from this model are checked against some other relevant models, and specific features arising from its theoretical derivation are pointed out.

Abstract: Beam structures are a common form in many large structures, and therefore the real-time condition monitoring and active control of beams will improve the reliability and safety of many structures. This paper presents a damage assessment method which combines the impedance method and guided wave method. The combination enabled to improve the damage detection efficiency. The impedance method is used first to detect whether the damage occurs or not and judge the damage extent. The guided wave then is introduced to accurately localize damages. The improved method provides possibility for more accurately identifying and localization damages compared to that conventional method. A powerful wavelet transform is used to extract the signals efficiently. Additionally, with using the general function generator to excite the piezoceramic (PZT) patches to generate the guided wave, the guided wave propagates along with the beam structures with PZT patches bonded, and the real-time signals are recorded. Damages are indicated by a change of response signals when compared with a template undamaged condition. The wave attenuation and mode conversion is sufficient to detect various types of defects. The results show considerable ability for identifying and localization of the simulated damages.

Abstract: Low velocity impact is a frequent and inevitable in-service event, with higher occurrence in transportation structures. The damages following such an event are more diverse, extended and with more severe consequences in the case of composite materials and structures. The research work presented here concerns fibre reinforced polymeric composites in the forms of plates and pipes. It is continuing an effort meant to allow customers exploiting such structures to have a short cut in monitoring the integrity of this kind of structures. To this end, it is proposed a careful following of the impact force history recording, which can offer valuable and more direct information about the damage level produced under this insidious loading.

Abstract: The results of an experimental research on plain concrete are presented. The non-linear behavior of both virgin and damaged samples is investigated by means of ultrasonic tests: recent theoretical models, indeed, have pointed out that mono-frequency ultrasonic excitations bring to light such phenomena as harmonic generation and sidebands production, which are essentially due to the material classical or hysteretic non-linearity. The estimation of the harmonic components parameters (amplitudes and phases) is achieved through a signal processing technique based on MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC) system, which reveals to be optimal for the specific signal model here considered. The experiments described in this paper show that the material non-linear features increase with increasing level of internal micro-cracking, thus suggesting the possibility to use the ultrasonic signal analysis in the frequency domain as a valuable tool for damage assessment.

Abstract: This paper describes a dynamic test carried out on intact and damaged FRP composite beams with fixed-fixed boundary condition. Hammer excitation is used to excite the beam at fixed locations. The modal parameters are extracted from the time response using a time domain analysis, i.e. the stochastic subspace identification technique. In order to introduce damage, two sections of the beam are bonded together using an epoxy adhesive, and then a static test is carried out. For the static test, a 3-point bending -configuration is used, i.e. the beam is fixed at both ends and a static load is gradually applied in the middle of the beam using a screw jack. Different static load steps, and in turn different damage stages, are considered. After each load step, dynamic measurements are carried out. The results obtained from both tests are presented and analysed.

Abstract: The reports after earthquakes indicate that earthquake-induced pounding between insufficiently separated structures, or their parts, may cause substantial damage or even lead to structural collapse. One of the most spectacular example of pounding-involved destruction resulted from interactions between the Olive View Hospital main building and one of its independently standing stairway towers during the San Fernando earthquake of 1971. The aim of the present paper is to assess the range and intensity of damage caused by collisions between these reinforced concrete structures based on the results of a detailed 3D non-linear FEM analysis of poundinginvolved response. In the study, reinforced concrete has been modelled as layered material with rebar elements embedded into concrete. The non-linear material behaviour, including stiffness degradation of concrete due to damage under cyclic loading, has been incorporated in the numerical model. The results of the study show that pounding may lead to the significant increase of the range and intensity of damage at the base of the stairway tower, as a lighter structure, as well as may cause substantial damage at the points of contact. On the other hand, the intensity of damage induced in the heavier main building has been found to be nearly unaffected by structural interactions.

Abstract: In this paper the damage assessment of nanostructures is discussed. As an example we assess the damage of nanobeams with non destructive dynamical resonance or destructive tensile tests: a small number of nanocracks, i.e., ~10, with length of ~1nm, is accordingly estimated.

Abstract: This paper presents the perspective of the Structural Mechanics program of the Air Force Office of Scientific Research on the damage assessment of structures. It is found that damage assessment of structures plays a very important role in assuring the safety and operational readiness of Air Force fleet. The current fleet has many aging aircraft, which poses a considerable challenge for the operators and maintainers. The nondestructive evaluation technology is rather mature and able to detect damage with considerable reliability during the periodic maintenance inspections. The emerging structural health monitoring methodology has great potential, because it will use on-board damage detection sensors and systems, will be able to offer on-demand structural health bulletins. Considerable fundamental and applied research is still needed to enable the development, implementation, and dissemination of structural health monitoring technology.

Abstract: This study proposes a procedure of damage inspection for the infrastructure in the harbor. Because most infrastructures in the harbor are submerged under the water the damage inspection is very difficult to process. Normally, divers with special scheme of damage inspection are required and the cost is very expensive. Therefore, a two-stage inspection strategy is proposed. After the first stage of inspection the more detailed second stage inspection will be requested dependent on the examination results. In the second stage of inspection particularly, it is focused on the wharf structures of steel-sheet pile type, where the related items are identified corresponding to the characteristics of the structural system.