• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.237-253
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• 2017

Among various structural health monitoring technologies, impedance-based damage detection has been recognized as a promising tool for diagnosing critical members of civil structures. Since the piezoelectric transducers used in the impedance-based technique should be bonded to the surface of the structure using bonding layers (e.g., epoxy layer), it is hard to maintain the as-built condition of the bonding layers and to reconfigure the devices if needed. This study presents an experimental investigation by using magnetically attached PZT-interface for the impedance-based damage detection in bolted girder connections. Firstly, the principle of the impedance-based damage detection via the PZT-interface device is outlined. Secondly, a PZT-interface attachment method in which permanent magnets are used to replace the conventional bonding layers is proposed. Finally, the use of the magnetic attraction for the PZT-interface is experimentally evaluated via detecting the bolt-loosening events in a bolted girder connection. Also, the sensitivity of impedance signatures obtained from the PZT-interface is analyzed with regard to the interface's material.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.583-593
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• 2017

Applications of fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites for retrofitting, strengthening and repairing concrete structures have been expanded dramatically in the last decade. FRPs have high specific strength and stiffness compared to conventional construction materials, e.g., steel. Ease of preparation and installation, resistance to corrosion, versatile fabrication and adjustable mechanical properties are other advantages of the FRPs. However, there are major concerns about long-term performance, serviceability and durability of FRP applications in concrete structures. Therefore, structural health monitoring (SHM) and damage detection in FRP-retrofitted concrete structures need to be implemented. This paper presents a study on investigating the application of Rayleigh wave for detecting debonding defect in FRP-retrofitted concrete structures. A time-of-flight (ToF) method is proposed to determine the location of a debonding between the FRP and concrete using Rayleigh wave. A series of numerical case studies are carried out to demonstrate the capability of the proposed debonding detection method. In the numerical case studies, a three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model is developed to simulate the Rayleigh wave propagation and scattering at the debonding in the FRP-retrofitted concrete structure. Absorbing layers are employed in the 3D FE model to reduce computational cost in simulating the practical size of the FRP-retrofitted structure. Different debonding sizes and locations are considered in the case studies. The results show that the proposed ToF method is able to accurately determine the location of the debonding in the FRP-retrofitted concrete structure.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.1150-1159
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• 2017

Flexibility in the power control of ultrasonic transducers has remained a challenge for cleaning applications. This paper introduces a modification of the existing piezoelectric ceramic transducer (PCT) circuit to increase the range of operation through its impedance characteristics. The output power is controlled using the asymmetrical voltage-cancellation (AVC) method. Together with a phase-locked loop control, the switching frequency of the inverter is automatically adjusted to maintain a lagging phase angle under load-parameter variations during the cleaning process. With the proposed modification, the region of the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) operation is extended, which results in a wider range of output power control. A hardware prototype is constructed and the control algorithm is implemented using an STM32F4 microcontroller. Simulation and experimental results are provided to verify the proposed method for a 50-W PCT. The operating frequency and output power ranges under study are 37 - 41 kHz and 15.8 - 50 W, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.419-425
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• 2010

To machine the micro hole, laser machining system is widely used, however, the system cannot fabricate the micro hole with high aspect ratio and good surface finish. To break the obstacles, the high frequency vibration mechanism with PZT (Piezoelectric Transducers) is proposed in this paper. The mechanism will vibrate the laser beam in vertical direction so that the aspect ratio and surface finish may be higher than the conventional. The mechanism vibrates the eyepiece of laser optics. In addition to the benefits, the mechanism enables us to have high precision and flexibility. It decreases burr and debris during machining. And it is able to machine various materials of workpiece. This research include high frequency and large travel range of the proposed mechanism. The PZT motion of mechanism and analysis on the sensitivity of design parameters are extracted from a finite element method (FEM) simulation. In the analysis, the target vibration mode without parasitic motion is designated to have the target frequency and high amplitude.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1347-1352
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• 2011

Recently, as the aged population grows around the world, many medical instruments, devices, and their fabrication processes are developing. Among the devices, a drug delivery stent is a good example for precision machining. Conventional drug delivery stent has problem of the remaining polymer because the drug is coated on the surface with it. If the drug is impregnated into the micro hole array on the stent surface, the polymer can be perfectly eliminated. Micro sized holes are generally fabricated by laser machining however, the fabricated holes do not have an enough aspect ratio to contain the drug or a good surface finish to deliver the stend to blood vessel tissue. To overcome these problems, we propose a vibration-assisted machining mechanism with PZT (Piezoelectric Transducers) for abrication of micro sized holes better. The results indicated that the burr size can be significantly decreased with vibration assisted in nanosecond pulse laser drilling test.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.501-508
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• 2007

This paper presents the feasibility of using electromechanical impedance based active sensing technique for nondestructive strength gain monitoring of early-age concrete by employing piezoelectric lead-zirconate-titanate (PZT) patches on concrete surface. The strength development of early age concrete is actively monitored by performing a series of experiments on concrete specimens under moist curing condition. The electrical admittance signatures are acquired for five different curing ages and compared with each other. The resonant frequency shifts of PZT patches with increasing days is observed which is on account of additional stiffening due to strength gain of concrete during curing and level of stiffening being related to strength obtained from compression tests on companion cylinder specimens. The proposed approach is found to be suitable for monitoring the development of compressive strength in early-age concrete. It is also observed in this study that root mean square deviation (RMSD) in admittance signatures of the PZT patches can also be used as an indicator of concrete strength development.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.6
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• pp.751-761
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• 2019

Lamb wave technology is a promising technology in the field of structural health monitoring and can be applied in the detection and monitoring of defects in plate structures. Based on the reconstruction algorithm for the probabilistic inspection of damage (RAPID), a Lamb-based detection and evaluation method of through-thickness rectangular notches in metal plates was proposed in this study. The influences of through-thickness rectangular notch length and the angle between sensing path and notch length direction on signals were further explored through simulations and experiments. Then a damage index calculation method which focuses on both phase and amplitude difference between detected signals and baseline signals was proposed. Based on the damage index difference between two vertically crossed sensing paths which pass through the notch in a sensor network, the notch direction identification method was proposed. In addition, the notch length was determined based on the damage index distribution along sensing paths. The experimental results showed that the image reconstructed with the proposed method could reflect the information for the evaluation of notches.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2021

In this study, we successfully developed a highly reliable ultrasonic sediment sensor to detect the sediment levels in sewer pipes in harsh environments. The ultrasonic transducer employed in the ultrasonic sediment sensor was designed so as to possess a simple structure. The developed sensor was carefully optimized by simulating the electromechanical characteristics, radiated sound wave pressures, and directivity via finite element analysis. It was also designed to possess a simple mounting structure minimizing the flow disturbance in a 400-mm sewer pipe; additionally, eight ultrasonic transducers were arranged in a four-channel mode, allowing for measurement of the sediment height in five easy steps. Through experimental evaluations, we verified the performance of the ultrasonic sediment-level sensor and its industrial applicability. The results suggested that although the precision value was notably low at 15 mm, the sediment detection performance was adequate; therefore, the developed sensor can potentially be used in industrial applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.85-95
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• 1998

The broadband ultrasonic transducers have been designed to use in obtaining the broadband echo signals from fish schools in relation to the identification of fish species. The broadening of bandwidth was achieved by attaching double acoustic matching layers on the front face of a Tonpilz transducer consisted of an aluminum head, a piezoelectric ring, a brass tail and to evaluate the performance characteristics, such as the transmitting voltage response(TVR) of transducers. The constructed transducers were tested experimentally and numerically by changing the parameters such as impedances and thicknesses of the head, tail and matching layers, in the water tank. Also, the developed transducer was excited by a chirp signal and the received chirp waveforms were analyzed. According to the measured TVR results, the available 3 dB bandwidth of the transducer with double matching layers of an $Al_O_3/epoxy$ composite of 7 mm thick and a polyurethane window of 18 mm thick was 7.3 kHz with a center frequency of 38.8 kHz, and the maximum and the minimum values of the TVR in this frequency region were 135.7 dB and 132.7 dB re $1\;{\mu}Pa/V$ at 1 m, respectively. Also, the available 3 dB bandwidth of the transducer with double matching layers of an $Al_O_3/epoxy$ composite of 11 mm thick and a polyurethane window of 15 mm thick was 6.2 kHz with a center frequency of 38.6 kHz, and the maximum TVR value in the frequency region was 136.3 dB re $1\;{\mu}Pa/V$ at 1 m. Reasonable agreement between the experimental results and the numerical results for the TVR of the developed transducers was achieved. The frequency dependant characteristics of experimentally observed chirp signals closely matched to the measured TVR results. These results suggest that there is potential for increasing the bandwidth by varying other parameters in the transducer design and the material of the acoustic matching layers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.74-84
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• 1998

A doubly resonant ultrasonic transducer has been designed as an attempt to increase the bandwidth of underwater transducers. The dual resonance conditions were accomplished by attaching a single acoustic matching layer on the front face of a Tonpilz transducer consisted of an aluminum head, a piezoelectric ring, a brass tail and a prestress bolt. A modified Mason's model was used for the performance analysis and the design of transducers, and the constructed transducers were tested experimentally and numerically by changing the impedances and thicknesses of the head, tail and matching layers in the water tank. Two distinct resonance peaks in the transmitting voltage response(TVR) of a developed transducer were observed at 34.3 and 40.4 kHz, respectively, with the difference frequency of 6.1kHz and the center frequency of 37.2kHz. The values of TVR at these frequencies were 136.5 dB re $1\;\muPa/V$ at 34.3 kHz and 136.8 dB re $1\;\muPa/V$ at 40.4 kHz, respectively. Reasonable agreement between the experimental results and the numerical results was achieved. From this result, it is expected that the generation of the distinct resonances at any two desired frequencies can be achieved through the proper choice of the matching layer to provide the impedance transformation between the transducer and the medium.