Medical University of South Carolina

Intelligent Automation, Inc.

Victor Giurgiutiu

Jingjing Bao

Md Yeasin Bhuiyan

Mohammad Faisal Haider

Banibrata Poddar

Gregory William Peterson

Michael Van Tooren

Glenn Rubel

Lingyu Yu

Bin Lin

Matthew Droghini

Robin James

Paul Ziehl

Andrei N Zagrai

Yeasin Bhuiyan

Buli Xu

Matthieu Gresil

Hanfei Mei

Roman Catalin

Roshan Joseph

Erik Frankforter

James R Kendall

Giola Santoni Bottai

A new vibration test-cell that allows a static load to be applied simultaneously with lateral vibration coupled with in-situ microscopy that allows for the ability to open a fatigue crack up to a desired gap, as well as generate acoustic emission (AE) from vibration excitation, micro-fracture events are captured by the AE measurement while the physical observation of the crack faying surfaces is performed in-situ with an optical microscope embedded in the test cell.

Vibration test-cell with axial load and in-situ microscopy

Employing methodologies and systems to detect damage initiation and growth inside a composite material (matrix cracking, delamination, fiber break, fiber pullout, etc.) wherein damage produces high-frequency acoustic emission (AE) waves that are transported to recording sensors along with relatively lower frequency waves representing the flexural deformation of the impacted composite structure.

Acoustic emission method to ascertain damage occurrence in impacted composites

An in-situ fiber-optic temperature field measurement is disclosed that can allow process monitoring and diagnosis for thermoplastic composite welding and other applications. A distributed fiber-optic sensor can be permanently embedded in a thermoplastic welded structure when it is welded and left there to perform lifelong monitoring and inspection. The fiber optic sensor can include a dissolvable coating, or a coating matched to the composite material to be welded. Other applications include in-situ fiber-optic temperature field measurement on thermoset composite curing (autoclave), for thermoplastic and thermoset composites during compression molding, and for fiber-optic field measurements on freeze/thaw of large items of public health interest, such as stored or transported foodstuffs.

In-situ fiber-optic temperature field measurement during thermoplastic composite welding and other applications

Detection, identification, and monitoring of various composite-damage types such as impact damage, delaminations, etc. using angle-beam coupled guided waves and methods and systems that permit excitation with angle-beam techniques of certain composite-material guided-wave modes that cannot be excited in isotropic metals with angle-beam methods.

Angle-beam guided waves for composite-damage identification and monitoring

The current disclosure determines if structural faults exist and extracts geometric features of the structural faults from acoustic emission waveforms, such as crack length and orientation, and can evaluate the structural faults online, during normal operation conditions.

Identifying structural defect geometric features from acoustic emission waveforms

Computationally efficient, highly accurate, and cost-effective approach for detection of damage in a structure is described. Methods include a combined analysis in both global and local regions of a structure to predict the received wave signals at a location due to scattering of Lamb waves at a damage site. Through comparison of an actual received wave signal with the predicted signals, identification of damage location and/or type can be provided. Methods can be particularly beneficial when considering damage assessment in a complex structure that includes plate-like structures that include an extension off of a base plate, e.g., a stiffened structure.

Combined global-local structural health monitoring

Structural health monitoring systems and methods are described that incorporate one or more acoustic black holes in a sensing capacity. The acoustic black hole provides low- or no-reflection capabilities combined with high displacement of an edge upon excitation. The sensor can be utilized to differentiate in-plane acousto-ultrasonic wave excitations from out-of-plane excitations as well as to separate the in-plane and out-of-plane components of an excitation acousto-ultrasonic wave. Sensors can incorporate features such as mode selectivity, omnidirectional sensing, frequency tunability, quasi-static strain insensitivity, and mechanical amplification.

Acoustic black hole for sensing applications

Disclosed are composite structure health monitoring (SHM) systems that incorporate aspects of both a passive SHM system and an active SHM system. Systems provide a route for continuous monitoring to recognize potentially damaging events as well as to determine the location and intensity of damage in those instances in which the event does cause damage to the structure. Systems can provide improved monitoring with a low space and weight requirement, for instance when utilized for SHM of aircraft.

Structural health monitoring method and system

In one aspect, the present subject matter is directed to a sensor. The sensor includes an encapsulated fiber optic sensor and a ring shaped structure. The encapsulated fiber optic sensor passes through the ring shaped structure. The ring shaped structure is configured to resonate at a predetermined frequency.

Acousto-ultrasonic sensor

Active carbon filters and systems that are operative to detect active carbon filter degradations are provided. The active carbon filter can include a carbon filter comprising activated carbon and defining a filter surface; a first piezoelectric wafer active sensor on the filter surface that is electrically isolated from the carbon filter; and a second piezoelectric wafer active sensor on the filter surface that is electrically connected to the filter surface; and an impedance monitoring device electrically connected to the first piezoelectric wafer active sensor and the second piezoelectric wafer active sensor. Methods are also disclosed for determining if any degradation has occurred in an active carbon filter.

Methods and sensors for the detection of active carbon filters degradation with EMIS-ECIS PWAS

A piezoelectric sensor having a plurality of electrodes deposited on a single surface of the dielectric medium is generally provided. The plurality of electrodes can define a plurality of square-shaped electrodes forming a grid on the first surface of the dielectric medium while the second electrode defines a continuous electrode. An electrode border surrounding the plurality of electrodes can be deposited on the first surface of the dielectric medium. Alternatively, the plurality of electrodes can define column-shaped electrodes, while the second electrode defines a plurality of row-shaped electrodes separated by etchings. The direction of orientation of each column-shaped electrode and the direction of orientation of each row-shaped electrode can be substantially perpendicular. A method of making a piezoelectric sensor is also provided.

Piezoelectric sensors

Disclosed is an apparatus and methodology for structural health monitoring (SHM) in which smart devices interrogate structural components to predict failure, expedite needed repairs, and thus increase the useful life of those components. Piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) are applied to or integrated with structural components and various data collected there from provide the ability to detect and locate cracking, corrosion, and disbanding through use of pitch-catch, pulse-echo, electro/mechanical impedance, and phased array technology. Stand alone hardware and an associated software program are provided that allow selection of multiple types of SHM investigations as well as multiple types of data analysis to perform a wholesome investigation of a structure.

Growing community of inventors

Columbia, SC, United States of America

Victor Giurgiutiu