• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.63-74
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• 2022

The deformation coordination between a rock/soil mass and an optical sensing cable is an important issue for accurate deformation monitoring. A stress-controlled triaxial apparatus was retrofitted by introducing an optical fiber into the soil specimen. High spatial resolution optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR) was used for monitoring the strain distribution along the axial direction of the specimen. The results were compared with those measured by a displacement meter. The strain measured by the optical sensing cable has a good linear relationship with the strain calculated by the displacement meter for different confining pressures, which indicates that distributed optical fiber sensing technology is feasible for soil deformation monitoring. The performance of deformation coordination between the sensing cable and the soil during unloading is higher than that during loading based on the strain transfer coefficients. Three hypothetical strain distributions of the triaxial specimen are proposed, based on which theoretical models of the strain transfer coefficients are established. It appears that the parabolic distribution of specimen strain should be more reasonable by comparison. Nevertheless, the strain transfer coefficients obtained by the theoretical models are higher than the measured coefficients. On this basis, a strain transfer model considering slippage at the interface of the sensing cable and the soil is discussed.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.107-113
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• 2017

In this paper, we present a strain-sensitive composite skin-like film made up of piezoresistive zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods embedded in a flexible poly(dimethylsiloxane) substrate, with added reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to facilitate connections between the nanorod clusters and increase strain sensitivity. Preparation of the composite is described in detail. Cyclic strain sensing tests are conducted. Experiments indicate that the resulting ZnO-PDMS/rGO composite film is strain-sensitive and thus capable of sensing cycling strain accurately. As such, it has the potential to be molded on to a structure (civil, mechanical, aerospace, or biological) in order to provide a strain sensing skin.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.1203-1215
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• 2016

When strain sensing cables are under long-term stress and cyclic loading, creep may occur in the jacket material and each layer of the cable structure may slide relative to other layers, causing fatigue in the cables. This study proposes a device for testing the fatigue characteristics of three types of cables operating under different conditions to establish a decay model for observing the patterns of strain decay. The fatigue characteristics of cables encased in polyurethane (PU), GFRP-reinforced, and wire rope-reinforced jackets were compared. The findings are outlined as follows. The cable strain decayed exponentially, and the decay process involved quick decay, slow decay, and stabilization stages. Moreover, the strain decay increased with the initial strain and tensile frequency. The shorter the unstrained period was, the more similar the initial strain levels of the strain decay curves were to the stabilized strain levels of the first cyclic elongation. As the unstrained period increased, the initial strain levels of the strain decay curves approached those of the first cyclic elongation. The tested sensing cables differed in the amount and rate of strain decay. The wire rope-reinforced cable exhibited the smallest amount and rate of decay, whereas the GFRP-reinforced cable demonstrated the largest.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.1217-1231
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• 2016

In this research, a slotted patch antenna sensor is designed for wireless strain and crack sensing. An off-the-shelf RFID (radiofrequency identification) chip is adopted in the antenna sensor design for signal modulation. The operation power of the RFID chip is captured from wireless reader interrogation signal, so the sensor operation is completely battery-free (passive) and wireless. For strain and crack sensing of a structure, the antenna sensor is bonded on the structure surface like a regular strain gage. Since the antenna resonance frequency is directly related with antenna dimension, which deforms when strain occurs on the structural surface, the deformation/strain can be correlated with antenna resonance frequency shift measured by an RFID reader. The slotted patch antenna sensor performance is first evaluated through mechanics-electromagnetics coupled simulation. Extensive experiments are then conducted to validate the antenna sensor performance, including tensile and compressive strain sensing, wireless interrogation range, and fatigue crack sensing.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.471-486
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• 2011

Various types of strain sensors have been developed and widely used in the field for monitoring the mechanical deformation of structures. However, conventional strain sensors are not suited for measuring large strains associated with impact damage and local crack propagation. In addition, strain sensors are resistive-type transducers, which mean that the sensors require an external electrical or power source. In this study, a gold nanoparticle (GNP)-based polymer composite is proposed for large strain sensing. Fabrication of the composites relies on a novel and simple in situ GNP reduction technique that is performed directly within the elastomeric poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) matrix. First, the reducing and stabilizing capacities of PDMS constituents and mixtures are evaluated via visual observation, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The large strain sensing capacity of the GNP-PDMS thin film is then validated by correlating changes in thin film optical properties (e.g., maximum UV-Vis light absorption) with applied tensile strains. Also, the composite's strain sensing performance (e.g., sensitivity and sensing range) is also characterized with respect to gold chloride concentrations within the PDMS mixture.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.106-112
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• 2003

In order to do continuous health monitoring of large structures, it is necessary that the distributed sensing of strain and temperature of the structures be measured. So, we present the temperature compensation of a signal from a fiber optic BOTDA (Brillouin Optical Time Domain Analysis) sensor. A fiber optic BOTDA sensor has good performance of strain measurement. However, the signal of a fiber optic BOTDA sensor is influenced by strain and temperature. Therefore, we applied an optical fiber on the beam as follows: one part of the fiber, which is sensitive to the strain and the temperature, is bonded on the surface of the beam and another part of the fiber, which is only sensitive to the temperature, is located nearby the strain sensing fiber. Therefore, the strains can be determined from the strain sensing fiber while compensating for the temperature from the temperature sensing fiber. These measured strains were compared with the strains from electrical strain gages. After temperature compensation, it was concluded that the strains from the fiber optic BOTDA sensor had good coincidence with those values of the conventional electrical strain gages.

• 산업기술연구
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• 제32권A호
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• pp.29-33
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• 2012

We demonstrated the viability of fully microfabricating SWCNT(single-wall carbon nanotube) film strain sensors for force and weight sensing. Our spray-deposited SWCNT film strain sensors showed good linearity over a range from 0 to 400 microstrain, and much higher sensitivity compared to commercial metal foil-type gauges. The number of grids and the thickness of the SWCNT film were found to have a significant effect on the strain sensing properties of the SWCNT film gauges. A strain sensing methode for the CNT-based strain gauges was also investigated using a binocular type beam load cells. Preliminary results indicate that the microfabrication method shown here is promising for developing a commercial strain gauge using a spray-coated SWCNT thin film. In the near future, various studies will be performed to further enhance the properties of the spray-coated SWCNT film strain sensors.

• 센서학회지
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.340-351
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• 2023

Wearable sensors designed for strain, pressure, and temperature measurements are essential for monitoring human movements, health status, physiological data, and responses to external stimuli. Notably, recent research has led to the development of high-performance wearable sensors using innovative materials and device structures that exhibit ultra-high sensitivity compared with their commercial counterparts. However, the quest for accurate sensing has identified a critical challenge. Specifically, the mechanical flexibility of the substrates in wearable sensors can introduce interference signals, particularly when subjected to varying external stimuli and environmental conditions, potentially resulting in signal crosstalk and compromised data fidelity. Consequently, the pursuit of non-interference sensing technology is pivotal for enabling independent measurements of concurrent input signals related to strain, pressure, and temperature, ensuring precise signal acquisition. In this comprehensive review, we present an overview of the recent advances in noninterference sensing strategies. We explore various fabrication methods for sensing strain, pressure, and temperature, emphasizing the use of hybrid composite materials with distinct mechanical properties. This review contributes to the understanding of critical developments in wearable sensor technology that are vital for their ongoing application and evolution in numerous fields.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.133-146
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• 2007

This paper addresses a new type of broad and stage-based hybrid carbon fiber reinforced polymer (HCFRP) sensor that is suitable for the sensing of infrastructures. The HCFRP sensors, a type of composite sensor, are fabricated with three types of carbon tows of different strength and moduli. For all of the specimens, the active materials are carbon tows by virtue of their electrical conductivity and piezoresistivity. The measurement principles are based on the micro- and macro-fractures of different types of carbon tows. A series of experiments are carried out to investigate the sensing performances of the HCFRP sensors. The main variables include the stack order and volume fractions of different types of carbon tows. It is shown that the change in electrical resistance is in direct proportion to the strain/load in low strain ranges. However, the fractional change in electrical resistance (${\Delta}R/R_0$) is smaller than 2% prior to the macrofractures of carbon tows. In order to improve the resistance changes, measures are taken that can enhance the values of ${\Delta}R/R_0$ by more than 2 times during low strain ranges. In high strain ranges, the electrical resistance changes markedly with strain/load in a step-wise manner due to the gradual ruptures of different types of carbon tows at different strain amplitudes. The values of ${\Delta}R/R_0$ due to the fracture of high modulus carbon tows are larger than 36%. Thus, it is demonstrated that the HCFRP sensors have a broad and stage-based sensing capability.

• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.259-270
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• 2022

This study explores the use of the recently developed "strain-sensing smart skin" (S⁴) method for noncontact strain measurements on cement-based samples. S⁴ sensors are single-wall carbon nanotubes dilutely embedded in thin polymer films. Strains transmitted to the nanotubes cause systematic shifts in their near-infrared fluorescence spectra, which are analyzed to deduce local strain values. It is found that with cement-based materials, this method is hampered by spectral interference from structured near-infrared cement luminescence. However, application of an opaque blocking layer between the specimen surface and the nanotube sensing film enables interference-free strain measurements. Tests were performed on cement, mortar, and concrete specimens with such modified S⁴ coatings. When specimens were subjected to uniaxial compressive stress, the spectral peak separations varied linearly and predictably with induced strain. These results demonstrate that S⁴ is a promising emerging technology for measuring strains down to ca. 30 𝜇𝜀 in concrete structures.