Preload Monitoring in Bolted Connection Using Piezoelectric-Based Smart Interface

Abstract

In this study, a preload monitoring method using impedance signatures obtained from a piezoelectric-based smart interface is presented for bolted girder connections. Firstly, the background theory of the piezoelectric-based smart interface and its implementation into health monitoring of bolted connections are outlined. A simplified electro-mechanical (EM) impedance model of a smart interface-embedded bolted connection system is formulated to interpret mechanistic understanding of EM impedance signatures under the effect of bolt preload. Secondly, finite element modeling of a bolted connection is carried out to show the numerical feasibility of the presented method and to predetermine the sensitive frequency band of impedance signatures. Finally, impedance measurements are conducted on a lab-scaled bolted girder connection to verify the predetermined sensitive frequency range and to assess the bolt preload changes in the test structure.

Piezoelectric Sensor-Embedded Smart Rock for Damage Monitoring in a Prestressed Anchorage Zone

“…The surface-mounted PZT sensors had a size of 10 mm × 10 mm × 0.5 mm, and they were attached via aluminum interfaces (10 mm × 10 mm × 0.5 mm) before being mounted onto the anchorage’s surface. The use of the aluminum interface could enhance the sensitivity of the impedance responses [ 54 ]. PZT5A also was selected for the surface-mounted PZTs sensors with material properties, as shown in Table 2 .…”

Vibration-Based Diagnostics of Radial Clearances and Bolts Loosening in the Bearing Supports of the Heavy-Duty Gearboxes

“…Local contact surface sensors, e.g., by electrical conductivity [ 21 ], tension stress measurement by ultrasonic waves [ 22 , 23 ] high-frequency acoustic emission of low-speed rotating machinery [ 24 ], using high-order harmonics and spectral sidebands [ 25 ], wave energy dissipation (WED) and vibroacoustic modulation (VM) [ 26 , 27 , 28 ]. Sensing instrumentation also includes piezoelectric active sensing [ 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 ] using wearable sensors [ 34 ] and smart washers [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ] based on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers, which generate testing stress waves as the actuators. These methods can be supported by wireless data transfer technologies and remote data accumulation for critical large-scale civil and industrial structures.…”

A feasibility study on elbow erosion monitoring using active sensing approach and fractional Fourier transform

“…Therefore, in SHM, PZTs are often used in real-time monitoring, such as the active sensing method, in which at least a pair of PZT transducers are used with one as an actuator to generate stress wave and the other as a sensor to detect the propagating stress wave (Hou et al, 2018; Jiang et al, 2019; Liao et al, 2019; Venugopal and Wang, 2015). PZT-based active sensing has shown great potential in health monitoring of civil, aerospace, and mechanical structures, including crack monitoring of metal components (Du et al, 2013, 2016; Li et al, 2019a), looseness monitoring of bolts (Doyle et al, 2010; Huynh et al, 2018; Wang et al, 2018, 2019a, 2019b; Xu et al, 2019), preload monitoring of rock bolts (Huo et al, 2017b; Song et al, 2017; Wang et al, 2017a), damage monitoring of concrete structures (Kong et al, 2016; Liao and Chiu, 2019; Luo et al, 2016), and bond slip monitoring of various structures (Jiang et al, 2017; Xu et al, 2017, 2018). However, research on erosion monitoring of high pressure elbow based on PZT active sensing is still rather limited, despite its potential.…”