Debonding Detection in Hidden Frame Supported Glass Curtain Walls Using the Nonlinear Ultrasonic Modulation Method with Piezoceramic Transducers

Abstract

Debonding defects are common and they are the main reason for the failure of hidden frame supported glass curtain walls, which are widely used as an external enclosure and decorative structure. In this paper, a debonding detection method for hidden frame supported glass curtain walls is developed based on nonlinear ultrasonic modulation and piezoceramic transducers. First, the excitation frequency was determined according to the response characteristics. Then, empirical mode decomposition (EMD) was applied to extract the feature components. After discrete Fourier transform (DFT), the nonlinear coefficients were calculated to evaluate the debonding defect. Finally, the experimental setup was established and a series of experiments were carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method. The nonlinear harmonics detection method was also investigated and it was compared with the nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method. The detection effect at different temperatures and impact were studied. The results showed that the nonlinear coefficient increases with the debonding length. The mean squared error (MSE) of the nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method was improved by 41% compared with the nonlinear harmonics method. The nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method can successfully detect debonding defects in hidden frame supported glass curtain walls at different temperatures and impact.

Vibration Analysis and Dynamic Characterization of Structural Glass Elements with Different Restraints Based on Operational Modal Analysis

“…In this regard, the use of innovative, non-destructive and contact-less monitoring techniques for the vulnerability assessment of complex glass systems and facades is attracting the efforts of researchers, but preliminary results and limited applications are actually available in the literature (see for example [29,30] for recent studies based on laser Doppler vibrometer or ultrasonic measurements).…”

“…Later, Pelayo and Lopez-Aenlle [25] proposed a dynamic effective thickness formulation, for the reliable estimation of natural frequencies and damping ratios of multi-layered LG beams. To assess the viscous effect of PVB interlayers, OMA investigations were discussed for beam-like specimens with ideally rigid restraints, under different operational temperatures (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35) • C the explored range). In [26], Zemanova et al carried out a wide set of parametric analytical calculations, aimed at assessing the frequency and loss factor estimations that can be derived from the modal analysis of beam-like LG elements with ideal supports, by considering several interlayer types (PVB, SentryGlas®(SG), or Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA)).…”

Feasibility Study on Grouting Compactness Detection in Sleeves Using Piezoelectric Transducers

“…Instantaneous characteristics of the response were extracted from received signals by the HHT method and used for evaluating the damage location and degree of composite materials. Hong et al [24] used the nonlinear ultrasonic modulation method with piezoceramic transducers to detect the debonding in hidden frame supported glass curtain walls. The received signals were processed by the HHT method and the characteristics component containing the nonlinear damage information were selected.…”

Damage Detection of Concrete-Filled Square Steel Tube (CFSST) Column Joints under Cyclic Loading Using Piezoceramic Transducers

“…At the same time, non-destructive testing techniques, such as acoustic emission technology [ 19 , 20 ], ultrasonic testing technology [ 21 ], fiber optics [ 22 ] and X-ray, have been proposed for civil structures [ 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ]. In recent years, piezoceramic materials have been successfully applied to structural damage monitoring or stress monitoring [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ], including the smart aggregate enabled active sensing method [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ], the piezoelectric impedance method [ 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 , 44 ] and the other methods [ 45 , 46 , 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Du et al [ 50 ] investigated the pipeline corrosion pit detection using the time reversal technique with a piezoceramic transducer as a time reversal mirror.…”