• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.555-577
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• 2015

In the work at hand, the development of a morphing flap, actuated through shape memory alloy load bearing elements, is described. Moving from aerodynamic specifications, prescribing the morphed shape enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency of the flap, a suitable actuation architecture was identified, able to affect the curvature. Each rib of the flap was split into three elastic elements, namely "cells", connected each others in serial way and providing the bending stiffness to the structure. The edges of each cell are linked to SMA elements, whose contraction induces rotation onto the cell itself with an increase of the local curvature of the flap airfoil. The cells are made of two metallic plates crossing each others to form a characteristic "X" configuration; a good flexibility and an acceptable stress concentration level was obtained non connecting the plates onto the crossing zone. After identifying the main design parameters of the structure (i.e. plates relative angle, thickness and depth, SMA length, cross section and connections to the cell) an optimization was performed, with the scope of enhancing the achievable rotation of the cell, its ability in absorbing the external aerodynamic loads and, at the same time, containing the stress level and the weight. The conceptual scheme of the architecture was then reinterpreted in view of a practical realization of the prototype. Implementation issues (SMA - cells connection and cells relative rotation to compensate the impressed inflection assuring the SMA pre-load) were considered. Through a detailed FE model the prototype morphing performance were investigated in presence of the most severe load conditions.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.275-302
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• 2011

This is a review paper on mathematical modeling of actively controlled piezo smart structures. Paper has four sections to discuss the techniques to: (i) write the equations of motion (ii) implement sensor-actuator design (iii) model real life environmental effects and, (iv) control structural vibrations. In section (i), methods of writing equations of motion using equilibrium relations, Hamilton's principle, finite element technique and modal testing are discussed. In section (ii), self-sensing actuators, extension-bending actuators, shear actuators and modal sensors/actuators are discussed. In section (iii), modeling of thermal, hygro and other non-linear effects is discussed. Finally in section (iv), various vibration control techniques and useful software are mentioned. This review has two objectives: (i) practicing engineers can pick the most suitable philosophy for their end application and, (ii) researchers can come to know how the field has evolved, how it can be extended to real life structures and what the potential gaps in the literature are.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.6 no.7
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• pp.835-849
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• 2010

This study investigated propagation characteristics of piezo-activated guided waves in an aluminium rectangular-section tube for the purpose of damage identification. Changes in propagating velocity and amplitude of the first wave packet in acquired signals were observed in the frequency range from 50 to 250 kHz. The difference in guided wave propagation between rectangular- and circular-section tubes was examined using finite element simulation, demonstrating a great challenge in interpretation of guided wave signals in rectangular-section tubes. An active sensor network, consisting of nine PZT elements bonded on different surfaces of the tube, was configured to collect the wave signals scattered from through-thickness holes of different diameters. It was found that guided waves were capable of propagating across the sharp tube curvatures while retaining sensitivity to damage, even that not located on the surfaces where actuators/sensors were attached. Signal correlation between the intact and damaged structures was evaluated with the assistance of a concept of digital damage fingerprints (DDFs). The probability of the presence of damage on the unfolded tube surface was thus obtained, by which means the position of damage was identified with good accuracy.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.67-78
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• 2017

In this study, free vibration of functionally graded (FG) micro/nanobeams based on nonlocal third-order shear deformation theory and under different boundary conditions is investigated by applying the differential quadrature method. Third-order shear deformation theory can consider the both small-scale effects and quadratic variation of shear strain and hence shear stress along the FG nanobeam thickness. The governing equations are obtained by using the Hamilton's principle, based on third-order shear deformation beam theory. The differential quadrature (DQ) method is used to discretize the model and attain the natural frequencies and mode shapes. The properties of FG micro/nanobeam are assumed to be chanfged along the thickness direction based on the simple power law distribution. The effects of various parameters such as the nonlocal parameter, gradient index, boundary conditions and mode number on the vibration characteristics of FG micro/nanobeams are discussed in detail.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.11-21
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• 2001

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.252-256
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• 2003

Smart materials can adapt to changes of environment like living organs in nature such that they can maximize the performance and minimize the maintenance expense of engineering systems. Such materials have been paid attention ten years ago and applied in the area of industry, aerospace, transportation and civil structures. This paper summarizes smart material technology and shows some application examples in railway vehicles. Also, its future of smart material technology in railway vehicle technology is envisaged based on its possibility and practical aspect.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.23-42
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• 2009

In order to reduce vibration or to control shape of structures made of metal or composites, piezoelectric materials have been extensively used since their discovery in 1880's. A recent trend is also seen to apply piezoelectric materials to flexible structures made of rubber-like materials. In this paper a non-linear finite element model using updated Lagrangian (UL) approach has been developed for static analysis of rubber-elastic material with surface-bonded piezoelectric patches. A compressible stain energy function has been used for modeling the rubber as hyperelastic material. For formulation of the nonlinear finite element model a twenty-node brick element is used. Four degrees of freedom u, v and w and electrical potential ${\varphi}$ per node are considered as the field variables. PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) patches are applied as sensors/actuators or sensors and actuators. The present model has been applied to bimorph PVDF cantilever beam to validate the formulation. It is then applied to study the smart rubber components under different boundary and loading conditions. The results predicted by the present formulation are compared with the analytical solutions as well as the available published results. Some results are given as new ones as no published solutions available in the literatures to the best of the authors' knowledge.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.346-349
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• 2005

The present study aims to design electrically and structurally effective antenna structures in order that the structural surface itself could become the antenna. The basic design concept is composite sandwich structure in which microstrip antenna is embedded and this is termed composite smart structure (CSS). The most important outstanding problem is that composite materials of structural function cannot be used without reducing antenna efficiency. Unfortunately, such materials have high electrical loss. This is a significant design problem that needs to be solved in practical applications. Therefore, the effect of composites facesheet on antenna performances is studied in the first stage. Changes in the gain of microstrip antenna due to composites facesheet have been determined. 'Open condition' is defined when gain is maximized and is a significant new concept in the design of high-gain antennas considering bandwidth in practical application. The open condition can be made with any thickness of outer facesheet by controlling its position. In the design of CSS, glass/epoxy composites and Nomex honeycomb were used with exploiting open condition. Experiments, confirm that the gain is improved (over 11 dBi) and the bandwidth is also as wide as specified in our requirements (over 10% at 12.2 GHz). With the open condition, wideband antenna can be integrated with mechanical structures without reducing any electrical performances, as confirmed experimentally here.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.349-364
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• 2013

Recently, researchers in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM) have been rigorously striving to replace the conventional NDE techniques with the smart material based SHM techniques, employing smart materials such as piezoelectric materials. For instance, the electromechanical impedance (EMI) technique employing piezo-impedance (lead zirconate titanate, PZT) transducer is known for its sensitivity in detecting local damage. For practical applications, various external factors such as fluctuations of temperature and loading, affecting the effectiveness of the EMI technique ought to be understood and compensated. This paper aims at investigating the damage monitoring capability of EMI technique in the presence of axial stress with fixed boundary condition. A compensation technique using effective frequency shift (EFS) by cross-correlation analysis was incorporated to compensate the effect of loading and boundary stiffening. Experimental tests were conducted by inducing damages on lab-sized aluminium beams in the presence of tensile and compressive forces. Two types of damages, crack propagation and bolts loosening were simulated. With EFS for compensation, both cross-correlation coefficient (CC) index and reduction in peak frequency were found to be efficient in characterizing damages in the presence of varying axial loading.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.185-200
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• 2022

A Closed-form solution for dynamic response of a functionally graded (FG) nonlocal nanobeam due to action of moving harmonic load is presented in this paper. Due to analyzing in small scale, a nonlocal elasticity theory is utilized. The governing equation and boundary conditions are derived based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Hamilton's principle. The material properties vary through the thickness direction. The harmonic moving load is modeled by Delta function and the FG nanobeam is simply supported. Using the Laplace transform the dynamic response is obtained. The effect of important parameters such as excitation frequency, the velocity of the moving load, the power index law of FG material and the nonlocal parameter is analyzed. To validate, the results were compared with previous literature, which showed an excellent agreement.