An Embedded Stress Sensor for Concrete SHM Based on Amorphous Ferromagnetic Microwires

A new smart concrete aggregate design as a candidate for applications in structural health monitoring (SHM) of critical elements in civil infrastructure is proposed. The cement-based stress/strain sensor was developed by utilizing the stress/strain sensing properties of a magnetic microwire embedded in cement-based composite (MMCC). This is a contact-less type sensor that measures variations of magnetic properties resulting from stress variations. Sensors made of these materials can be designed to satisfy the specific demand for an economic way to monitor concrete infrastructure health. For this purpose, we embedded a thin magnetic microwire in the core of a cement-based cylinder, which was inserted into the concrete specimen under study as an extra aggregate. The experimental results show that the embedded MMCC sensor is capable of measuring internal compressive stress around the range of 1-30 MPa. Two stress sensing properties of the embedded sensor under uniaxial compression were studied: the peak amplitude and peak position of magnetic switching field. The sensitivity values for the amplitude and position within the measured range were 5 mV/MPa and 2.5 mu s/MPa, respectively.

Nuevos phased arrays

[ES]El sistema PAMELA III, con sus correspondientes phased arrays, se diseñó para la detección de daños en aeronaves mediante la tecnología SHM (structural health monitoring). Sin embargo, según los estudios del profesor Tadeusz Stepinski, la distribución de los piezoélectricos utilizada en estos phase arrays producen interferencias. Por ello, este proyecto se basa en el diseño de cuatro phased arrays diferentes, utilizando una de las distribuciones de piezoélectricos estudiada por el profesor Tadeusz. La distribución utilizada es la de cross-shaped (en forma de cruz), con lo que se consigue disminuir las interferencias producidas en los antiguos phased arrays. Además, se ha producido un diseño que es compatible tanto con PAMELA III, como con una futura actualización a PAMELA IV. Con lo que se ha conseguido que se pueda aumentar el tamaño de almacenamiento de la memoria utilizada cambiando la tecnología 1-wire por la de I2C, que sería utilizada solo en el sistema PAMELA IV. Aparte del diseño de los PCBs, también se han diseñado unas piezas de plástico que aportan rigidez a los phased arrays y además, hace que la parte inferior de la tarjeta quede toda a la misma altura y no sobresalgan los piezoélectricos, con lo que aumentará la facilidad de instalación.

Proof of Concept of Impact Detection in Composites Using Fiber Bragg Grating Arrays

Impact detection in aeronautical structures allows predicting their future reliability and performance. An impact can produce microscopic fissures that could evolve into fractures or even the total collapse of the structure, so it is important to know the location and severity of each impact. For this purpose, optical fibers with Bragg gratings are used to analyze each impact and the vibrations generated by them. In this paper it is proven that optical fibers with Bragg gratings can be used to detect impacts, and also that a high-frequency interrogator is necessary to collect valuable information about the impacts. The use of two interrogators constitutes the main novelty of this paper.

Fiber Bragg Gratings, IT Techniques and Strain Gauge Validation for Strain Calculation on Aged Metal Specimens

This paper studies the feasibility of calculating strains in aged F114 steel specimens with Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors and infrared thermography (IT) techniques. Two specimens have been conditioned under extreme temperature and relative humidity conditions making comparative tests of stress before and after aging using different adhesives. Moreover, a comparison has been made with IT tecniques and conventional methods for calculating stresses in F114 steel. Implementation of Structural Health Monitoring techniques on real aircraft during their life cycle requires a study of the behaviour of FBG sensors and their wiring under real conditions, before using them for a long time. To simulate aging, specimens were stored in a climate chamber at 70 degrees C and 90% RH for 60 days. This study is framed within the Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) and Non Destructuve Evaluation (NDE) research lines, integrated into the avionics area maintained by the Aeronautical Technologies Centre (CTA) and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

Diseño electrónico de una red de comunicaciones para monitorización de estructuras

[ES]El Trabajo Fin de Grado “Diseño electrónico de una red de comunicaciones para monitorización de estructuras” consiste en el desarrollo de un sistema de comunicación orientado al despliegue y gestión de una red con un alto número de sensores para monitorización de estructuras a bordo de una aeronave. El objetivo principal es hacer viable la utilización de dicha red, partiendo de la premisa de crear una alternativa con mayor eficiencia energética que los sistemas actualmente disponibles para tal fin.

Diseño de un sistema de monitorización de estructuras de procesamiento paralelo.

[ES]Este proyecto consiste en el diseño de un sistema de monitorización de estructuras (SHM) con procesamiento paralelo. Los sistemas SHM sirven para analizar la integridad de estructuras y detectar daños en las mismas. El sistema diseñado utiliza la técnica de ondas ultrasónicas superficiales. Integra todos los circuitos electrónicos para generar y adquirir las señales. También incluye un procesador para tratar las señales y detectar los daños de la estructura. El sistema se ha diseñado para conectar varios equipos en paralelo

RESTful Discovery and Eventing for Service Provisioning in Assisted Living Environments

Service provisioning in assisted living environments faces distinct challenges due to the heterogeneity of networks, access technology, and sensing/actuation devices in such an environment. Existing solutions, such as SOAP-based web services, can interconnect heterogeneous devices and services, and can be published, discovered and invoked dynamically. However, it is considered heavier than what is required in the smart environment-like context and hence suffers from performance degradation. Alternatively, REpresentational State Transfer (REST) has gained much attention from the community and is considered as a lighter and cleaner technology compared to the SOAP-based web services. Since it is simple to publish and use a RESTful web service, more and more service providers are moving toward REST-based solutions, which promote a resource-centric conceptualization as opposed to a service-centric conceptualization. Despite such benefits of REST, the dynamic discovery and eventing of RESTful services are yet considered a major hurdle to utilization of the full potential of REST-based approaches. In this paper, we address this issue, by providing a RESTful discovery and eventing specification and demonstrate it in an assisted living healthcare scenario. We envisage that through this approach, the service provisioning in ambient assisted living or other smart environment settings will be more efficient, timely, and less resource-intensive.