Łukasz Jankowski

An online substructure identification method for local structural health monitoring

This paper proposes a substructure isolation method, which uses time series of measured local response for online monitoring of substructures. The proposed monitoring process consists of two key steps: construction of the isolated substructure, and its identification. The isolated substructure is an independent virtual structure, which is numerically isolated from the global structure by placing virtual supports on the interface. First, the isolated substructure is constructed by a specific linear combination of time series of its measured local responses. Then, the isolated substructure is identified using its local natural frequencies extracted from the combined responses. The substructure is assumed to be linear; the outside part of the global structure can have any characteristics. The method has no requirements on the initial state of the structure, and so the process can be carried out repetitively for online monitoring. Online isolation and monitoring is illustrated in a numerical example with a frame model, and then verified in a cantilever beam experiment.

Adaptive landing gear: Optimum control strategy and potential for improvement

An adaptive landing gear is a landing gear (LG) capable of active adaptation to particular landing conditions by means of controlled hydraulic force. The objective of the adaptive control is to mitigate the peak force transferred to the aircraft structure during touch-down, and thus to limit the structural fatigue factor. This paper investigates the ultimate limits for improvement due to various strategies of active control. Five strategies are proposed and investigated numerically using a validated model of a real, passive landing gear as a reference. Potential for improvement is estimated statistically in terms of the mean and median (significant) peak strut forces as well as in terms of the extended safe sinking velocity range. Three control strategies are verified experimentally using a laboratory test stand.

Adaptive Impact Absorption

The approach proposed in this paper, in contrast to the standard passive solution, focuses on active adaptation of energy absorbing structures (equipped with sensor system detecting, identifying the impact in advance, and controllable semi-active dissipaters) with high ability of adaptation to extreme overloading. The paper presents a concept of multi-folding structures providing the additional value of energy dissipation, due to the synergy of repetitive use of active elements (equipped with so-called structural fuses), according to pre-designed optimal distribution of yield stress levels, triggering the desired sequence of local collapses. The second example, an adaptive wind turbine, demonstrates the idea of controlling the value of peak dynamic force that is transferred to the support by means of a pneumatic system with a controllable on/off piezo-valve. An alternative for developing new blade materials is to introduce a semi-actively controlled connection between blade and hub with controllable characteristics. Finally, the paper discusses the possibility of real-time, dynamic mass identification, which is an important part of the process of load identification. Numerical simulations and experimental results are presented.

Frequency-Domain Substructure Isolation for Local Damage Identification

This paper proposes a frequency-domain method of substructure identification for local health monitoring using substructure isolation method (SIM). The first key step of SIM is the numerical construction of the isolated substructure, which is a virtual and independent structure that has the same physical parameters as the real substructure. Damage identification and local monitoring can be then performed using the responses of the simple isolated substructure and any of the classical methods aimed originally at global structural analysis. This paper extends the SIM to frequency domain, which allows the computational efficiency of the method to be significantly increased in comparison to time domain. The mass-spring numerical model is used to introduce the method. Two aluminum beams with the same substructure are then used in experimental verification. In both cases the method performs efficiently and accurately.

Simultaneous Identification of Moving Vehicles and Bridge Damages Considering Road Rough Surface

A method for the simultaneous identification of moving vehicles and the damages of the supporting structure from measured responses is presented. A two-axle vehicle model with two degrees of freedom (DOF) is adopted. The extent of the damage and the vehicle parameters were chosen as the optimisation variables, which allow ill conditioning to be avoided and decrease the number of sensors required. The identification is performed by minimising the distance between the measured responses and the computed responses to given optimisation variables. The virtual distortion method (VDM) was used, such that the response of the damaged structure can be computed from comparison with the intact structure subjected to the same vehicle excitation and to the response-coupled virtual distortions. These are related to the optimisation variables by the system impulse response matrix and are expressed by a linear system, which allowed both types of optimisation variables to be treated in a unified way. The numerical cost is reduced by using a moving influence matrix. The adjoint variable method is used for fast sensitivity analysis. A three-span bridge numerical example is presented, where the identification was verified with 5% root mean square (RMS) measurement, and model, error whilst also considering the surface roughness of the road.

A Model-Less Method for Added Mass Identification

This paper present and validates experimentally a model-less methodology for off-line identification of modifications of nodal masses. The proposed approach is entirely based on experimentally measured data; hence no numerical modeling and tedious fine-tuning of the model are necessary. The influence of the added mass is modeled using virtual distortion forces and experimentally obtained system transfer matrices. The identification amounts to solving an optimization problem of minimizing the mean square distance between measured and modeled structural responses, the latter is based on previously recorded responses of the unaffected structure.

Robust Post-Accident Reconstruction of Loading Forces

The paper presents a novel methodology for robust post-accident reconstruction of spatial and temporal characteristics of the load. The methodology is based on analysis of local structural response, and identifies an observationally equivalent load, which in a given sense optimally approximates the real load. Compared to previous researches this approach allows to use a limited number of sensors to reconstruct general dynamic loads of unknown locations, including multiple impacts and moving loads. Additionally, the problem of optimum sensor location is studied.

Multicriterial Optimization of Geometrical and Structural Properties of the Basic Module of a Single-Branch Truss-Z Structure

Truss-Z (TZ) is an Extremely Modular System (EMS). Such systems allow for creation of structurally sound free-form structures, are comprised of as few types of modules as possible, and are not constrained by a regular tessellation of space. Their objective is to create spatial structures in given environments connecting given terminals without self-intersections and obstacle-intersections. In an EMS, the assembly, reconfiguration and deployment difficulty is moved towards the module, which is relatively complex and whose assembly is not intuitive. As a result, an EMS requires intensive computation for assembling its desired free-form geometrical configuration, while its advantage is the economization of construction and reconfiguration by extreme modularization and mass prefabrication.

Semi-Active Reduction of Vibrations of Periodically Oscillating System

Periodical vibrations are common phenomenon affecting a wide range of mechanical systems. Most frequently it affects machines designed to work in a steady-state conditions like: turbine, pump, rail vehicle, etc. In those kinds of machines it is always possible to decompose the system motion to basic average-speed constant component and oscillatory component. Usually the second term is treated as undesirable and various techniques are applied in order to minimize it as far as it is possible. These techniques refers to both the hardware selection – meaning the type of damping system (active, semi-active, passive) and the control method selection – meaning the damping system control method. Concerning the control methods, there are many algorithms available in literature devoted to transient systems. One of typical application is to use them in systems experiencing sudden, external force excitation. After destabilization of the system, caused by excitation, the role of the control algorithm is to restore the system stable position and additionally to reach the extreme of some additional criterion. Typical criterions are minimization of the time, of restoring the stable position, minimizing the consumed control energy, etc. On the other hand, considering the steady-state systems, especially based on semi-active damping elements, there are not so many control methods available.This paper focuses on developing the proper methodology for deriving the optimal control strategy of semi-active damping element, to be used in periodically vibrating mechanical system. The control strategy is developed on the basis of the Optimal Control Theory. Numerical computations are involved in order to solve the optimal control problem for the considered test system. Problem solution reveals the periodical nature of optimal control function.

Adaptive Self-Protection against Shock and Vibration

This contribution reviews the challenges in adaptive self-protection of structures. A proper semi-active control strategy can significantly increase structural ability to absorb impact-type loads and damp the resulting vibrations. Discussed systems constitute a new class of smart structures capable of a real-time identification of loads and vibration patterns, followed by a low-cost optimum absorption of the energy by structural adaptation. Given the always surging quest for safety, such systems have a great potential for practical applications (in landing gears, road barriers, space structures, etc.). Compared to passive systems, their better performance can be attributed to the paradigm of self-adaptivity, which is ubiquitous in nature, but still sparsely applied in structural engineering. Being in the early stages of development, their ultimate success depends on a concerted effort in facing a number of challenges. This contribution discusses some of the important problems, including these of a conceptual, technological, methodological and software engineering nature.