• Smart Structures and Systems
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.97-119
• /
• 2013

This paper presents numerical and experimental results on the use of guided waves for structural health monitoring (SHM) of crack growth during a fatigue test in a thick steel plate used for civil engineering application. Numerical simulation, analytical modeling, and experimental tests are used to prove that piezoelectric wafer active sensor (PWAS) can perform active SHM using guided wave pitch-catch method and passive SHM using acoustic emission (AE). AE simulation was performed with the multi-physic FEM (MP-FEM) approach. The MP-FEM approach permits that the output variables to be expressed directly in electric terms while the two-ways electromechanical conversion is done internally in the MP-FEM formulation. The AE event was simulated as a pulse of defined duration and amplitude. The electrical signal measured at a PWAS receiver was simulated. Experimental tests were performed with PWAS transducers acting as passive receivers of AE signals. An AE source was simulated using 0.5-mm pencil lead breaks. The PWAS transducers were able to pick up AE signal with good strength. Subsequently, PWAS transducers and traditional AE transducer were applied to a 12.7-mm CT specimen subjected to accelerated fatigue testing. Active sensing in pitch catch mode on the CT specimen was applied between the PWAS transducers pairs. Damage indexes were calculated and correlated with actual crack growth. The paper finishes with conclusions and suggestions for further work.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.418-424
• /
• 2008

The PZT based piezoelectric thick films prepared by screen printing method have been mainly used as a functional material for MEMS applications due to their compatibility of MEMS process. However the screen printed thick films generally reveal poor electrical and mechanical properties because of their porous microstructure. To improve microstructure we mixed attrition milled powder with ball milled powder of 0.01Pb$(Mg_{1/2}W_{1/2})O_3$-0.41Pb$(Ni_{1/3}Nb_{2/3})O_3$-$0.35PbTiO_3$-$0.23PbZrO_3$+0.1 wt% ${Y_2}{O_3}$+1.5 wt% ZnO composition. By mixing 25 % of attrition milled powder and 75 % of ball milled powder, the broadest particle size distribution was obtained, leading to a dense thick film with crack-free microstructure and improved dielectric properties. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the film was in wellcrystallized perovskite phase. The remanent polarization was increased from $13.7{\mu}C/cm^2$ to $23.3{\mu}C/cm^2$ at the addition of 25 % attrition milled powder.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.24 no.6
• /
• pp.373-378
• /
• 2015

The structure of the human ear is divided into the outer ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. The inner ear includes the cochlea that plays a very important role in hearing. Recently, the development of an artificial cochlear device for the hearing impaired with cochlear damage has been actively researched. Research has been carried out on the biomimetic piezoelectric thin film ABM (Artificial Basilar Membrane) in particular. In an effort to improve the frequency separation performance of the existing piezoelectric thin film ABM, this paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of the production and performance of a partially etched-type ABM material. $O_2$ plasma etching equipment was used to partially etch a piezoelectric thin film ABM to make it more flexible. The mechanical-behavior characterization of the manufactured partially etched-type ABM showed that the overall separation frequency range shifted to a lower frequency range more suitable for audible frequency bandwidths and it displayed an improved frequency separation performance. In addition, the maximum magnitude of the vibration displacement at the first local resonant frequency was enhanced by three times from 38 nm to 112 nm. It is expected that the newly designed, partially etched-type ABM will improve the issue of cross-talk between nearby electrodes and that the manufactured partially etched-type ABM will be utilized for next-generation ABM research.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.33-41
• /
• 2014

In this paper, we implemented a system to measure respiration rate with nonrestraint sensors comfortable for people to do their everyday life. The proposed system consists of a pad covered with a Piezoelectric sensor, a respiration measuring device able to send the signal data after amplifying and filtering the source signals to the viewer, a viewer providing sensor data visualization and implementing the respiration measuring algorithm. The algorithm is based on a breathing cycle with the local peak points extracted from threshold on sensor data. Respiration measurements on 3 subjects were performed by changing moving averages and thresholds. The proposed system showed less than 5% error rate when proper moving averages are N=50~60 and a range of thresholds is 800~1300. The system will contribute to preventing suffocation during sleep for infants and the elderly living alone.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.238-245
• /
• 2023

0.75(Bi_1/2Na_1/2)TiO₃-0.25SrTiO₃ (BNT-25ST) ceramics with high densities were successfully prepared at a sintering temperature of 1,000℃ by adding a mixture of 1 mol% CuO and 0.5 mol% Na₂CO₃ or 0.5 mol% CuO and 0.25 mol% Na₂CO₃. Double polarization-electric field (P-E) hysteresis curves and sprout-shaped bipolar strain-electric field (S-E) hysteresis curves with small negative strains were observed in the pristine and CuO-added BNT-25ST ceramics whereas the Na₂CO₃-added sample showed similar P-E and S-E curves to a typical ferroelectric. The pristine BNT-25ST ceramics showed an extremely large strain and a large-signal piezoelectric strain constant (d₃₃^*): 0.287 % at 80 kV/cm and 850 pm/V at 20 kV/cm. Similar values, 0.248 % at 80 kV/cm and 655 pm/V at 20 kV/cm, were obtained in the CuO-added sample. However, the pristine and CuO-added samples showed large hysteresis in unipolar S-E curves at an electric field of less than 20 kV/cm. The Na₂CO₃-added sample showed smaller values of the strain and d₃₃^* but displayed a linear change and small hysteresis in the unipolar S-E curve. The co-added sample with CuO and Na₂CO₃ displayed intermediate P-E and S-E hysteresis curves.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
• /
• v.14 no.6
• /
• pp.171-178
• /
• 2010

Pipeline structure is one of core underground infrastructure which transports primary sources. Since the almost pipeline structures are placed underground and connected each other complexly, it is difficult to monitor their structural health condition continuously. In order to overcome this limitation of recent monitoring technique, recently, a Ubiquitous Sensor Network (USN) system based on on-line and real-time monitoring system is being developed by the authors' research group. In this study, real-time pipeline health monitoring (PHM) methodology is presented based on electromechanical impedance methods using USN. Two types of damages including loosened bolts and notches are artificially inflicted on the pipeline structures, PZT and MFC sensors that have piezoelectric characteristics are employed to detect these damages. For objective evaluation of pipeline conditions, Damage metric such as Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) value was computed from the impedance signals to quantify the level of the damage. Optimal threshold levels for decision making are estimated by generalized extreme value(GEV) based statistical method. Throughout a series of experimental studies, it was reviewed the effectiveness and robustness of proposed PHM system.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.173-179
• /
• 2001

The currently used semiconductor pressure sensors are piezoresistive and capacitive type. Especially, semiconductor micro pressure sensors have a great deal of attention because of their small size. However, its fabrication processes are difficult, so that its yield is poor. For the purpose of resolving the drawbacks of the existing silicon pressure sensors, we demonstrate a new type of pressure sensor using PSFET(pressure sensitive field effect transistor) and investigate its operational characteristics. We used PZT(Pb(Zr,Ti)$O_3$) as a pressure sensing material. PZT thin films were deposited on a gate oxide of MOSFET by an rf-magnetron sputtering method. To abtain the stable phase, perovskite structure, furnace annealing technique have been employed in PbO ambient. The sensitivity of the PSFET was 0.38 mV/mmHg.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.307-321
• /
• 2015

The primary objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of an innovative surface-mount sensor, made of a piezoelectric disc (PZT sensor), as a consistent source for surface wave velocity and transmission measurements in concrete structures. To this end, one concrete slab with lateral dimensions of 1500 by 1500 mm and a thickness of 200 mm was prepared in the laboratory. The concrete slab had a notch-type, surface-breaking crack at its center, with depths increasing from 0 to 100 mm at stepwise intervals of 10 mm. A PZT sensor was attached to the concrete surface and used to generate incident surface waves for surface wave measurements. Two accelerometers were used to measure the surface waves. Signals generated by the PZT sensors show a broad bandwidth with a center frequency around 40 kHz, and very good signal consistency in the frequency range from 0 to 100 kHz. Furthermore, repeatability of the surface wave velocity and transmission measurements is significantly improved compared to that obtained using manual impact sources. In addition, the PZT sensors are demonstrated to be effective for monitoring an actual surface-breaking crack in a concrete beam specimen subjected to various external loadings (compressive and flexural loading with stepwise increases). The findings in this study demonstrate that the surface mount sensor has great potential as a consistent source for surface wave velocity and transmission measurements for automated health monitoring of concrete structures.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.301-329
• /
• 2017

Impedance-based damage detection method has been known as an innovative tool with various successful implementations for structural health monitoring of civil structures. To monitor the local critical area of a structure, the impedance-based method utilizes the high-frequency impedance responses sensed by piezoelectric sensors as the local dynamic features. In this paper, current advances and future challenges of the impedance-based structural health monitoring are presented. Firstly, theoretical background of the impedance-based method is outlined. Next, an overview is given to recent advances in the wireless impedance sensor nodes, the interfacial impedance sensing devices, and the temperature-effect compensation algorithms. Various research works on these topics are reviewed to share up-to-date information on research activities and implementations of the impedance-based technique. Finally, future research challenges of the technique are discussed including the applicability of wireless sensing technology, the predetermination of effective frequency bands, the sensing region of impedance responses, the robust compensation of noise and temperature effects, the quantification of damage severity, and long-term durability of sensors.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.65-74
• /
• 2021

With recent innovations in the ICT industry, the demand for wearable sensing devices to recognize and respond to biological signals has increased. In this study, a three-dimensional (3D) spacer fabric was embedded in a single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) dispersive solution through a simple penetration process to develop a monolayer piezoresistive pressure sensor. To induce electrical conductivity in the 3D spacer fabric, samples were immersed in the SWCNT dispersive solution and dried. To determine the electrical properties of the impregnated specimen, a universal testing machine and multimeter were used to measure the resistance of the pressure change. Moreover, to examine the changes in the electrical properties of the sensor, its performance was evaluated by varying the concentration, number of penetrations, and thickness of the specimen. Samples that penetrated twice in the SWCNT distributed solution of 0.1 wt% showed the best performance as sensors. The 7-mm thick sensors showed the highest GF, and the 13-mm thick sensors showed the widest operating range. This study confirms the effectiveness of the simple process of fabricating smart textile sensors comprising 3D spacer fabrics and the excellent performance of the sensors.